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About The Artist In progress...April 19, 2024 When he was born in 1921 in the town of Wadesville, IN, his parents named him Raymond Anthony Geuss. Anton and Bertha Mary (Rothlei) Geiss were married September 17, 1910 in Vanderburgh County, IN. The couple had ten children. His father was a baker for several years. The 1930 U. S. Census show his occupation as painter. Research did take some effort as he spelled his name in a couple of ways and to search in ancestry, one needs the actual name. Early on, promotional ads would bill him as "Ray Geiss." Then later, the spelling changed to "Ray Guyce" perhaps as a way to ease the pronunciation of his last name. It also appears he was married a couple of times. For a time, his wife was part of the show and was known as "Little Jo." Later in life, he had remarried and the act evolved to Bebe and Ray Guyce. He was often billed as "Ray Guyce and his Lonesome Valley Boys and Girls." But it was rare to see any indication as to who was in that group. One ad notes "Smilin' Jimmie" on the steel guitar. "Little Jo" played bass. But others were not named. Personal appearances seemed to be just local venues in the Evansville and surrounding towns in southern Indiana. Ads were seen noting he had radio shows, but radio logs were not perhas published or perhaps the newspaper archives used did not include the papers where those may have been published. A 1967 article provides some background on Ray's career. The Lonesome Valley Cowboys were formed in 1945. He had a recording studio for Brite Star in Smithville, IL. When he was seven years old, he got his first music lesson from his mother - on the mandolin. Later, he would take up the fiddle and guitar. In September 1948, Ray Guyce and the Lonesome Valley Cowboys were the first "live" television show to originate in Evansville, IN. Perhaps his biggest break came in 1955 when he went on a 50,000 mile tour for McConkey Artists Corporation of Chicago. It took him to the East Coast, Midwest and Canada. Also on that tour was Lola Dee, Billy Holmes and Phyliss Brown of WLW's Midwestern Hayride as well as Moon Mullican from WSM's Grand Ole Opry. The tour got him a contract with All-Star Records. He did release one record for the label. Some ads or brief promotional articles called him "The Ole Coon Hunter." In 1960, he signed a sophomore in high school — Glenna Dene to the Brite Star label. Ray was working at radio station WVMC in Mount Carmel, IL at the time. She sang "Thank You So Much" b/w "Broken Hearted." The youngster had her own fan club, appeared on the Bob Jennings Show in Nashville and was due to be on the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree on June 11, 1960. Guyce heard a tape of her singing; liked what he heard and signed her. She also did a duet with him - "Slipping Around On Me." 1940's
 
 
 
 
  1950's
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  1960'sIn August of 1966, the Ray Guyce National Fan Club held their ninth annual picnic. They hosted a large crowd at the Lion's Den Shelter in Cascades Park in Evansville. In a 1967 article by Helen Fabregas came out around the time he had recorded a tune called "Only As Far As The Door." The opening lines went: I'm knockin' on her door. Readers learned the song by Ray had been recorded at his Brite Star studio located near Smithville, IN, a small unincorporated community in Clear Creek Township in Monroe County. The tune was seen at the 11th spot on radio playlists by disc jockeys in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. Ray was backed by two Bloomington, IN musicians on the record - Leon Flynn on drums and Jimmy Thomas on rhythm guitar. He recounted his early career for her mentioned above then offered new details. He switched from the mandolin to the guitar and fiddle when he was nine years old. He got his first band together when he was just 15 years old and never stopped playing. The Lonesome Valley Boys were organized in 1945. He said the name of the band never changed, "...but I've seen a lot of musicians come and go in the group. There are times when the going's tough; I can remember feeling lucky to get $1.50 a night. Once, coming home from an engagement 100 miles away, I poured 26 quarts of oil through my car in one night." For a time he did a 50,000 mile tour for the McConkey Artists' Corporation out of Chicago - working with WLW stars and Moon Mullican of the Grand Ole Opry. After he did one recording for the All Star label, he came back to Indiana where he had a radio show called "Western Jamboree" over WPCO out of Mount Vernon, IN. During that stint he met Floyd (Red) Wiseman. He helped him for the Brite Star Record Company. When he moved his radio show to WVMC in Mount Carmel, IL, the Brite Star label went with him. He had a long term contract to appear at the Pigalle Club in Bloomington that allowed him to set up the recording studio there. Ms. Fabregas wrote "...Guyce is justly roud of the colorful traings that are an important part of the country music tradition. When performing, he wears suits and western outfits embroidered with glittering beads. His several electric guitars and amplification equipment represent a substantial investment." 8111ers learned that the president of his fan club was Blanche Hobson of New Harmony, IN. She did monthly newsletters and the club's roster included one member in France. Ray noted, "I'm not sure she understands all the words, but she must like the music."
 
 
 
 
  1970's
 
 
 
  1980'sRay was a part of some unique events in Evansville. In 1983, reporter Debra Zimmerman wrote of a blind couple who were going to operate a restaurant. Alex and Betty Shepherd were going to open Bett's Cafe on May 13, 1983 (formerly Sam's Tavern). The menu would be simple - sandwiches with home cooking such as chicken and dumplings, ham and beans. There would be a game room, dance floor and musical entertainment on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Alex ran a vending business. Betty would have two waitresses to help run the cafe. The cafe would also give Betty an outlet for one of her other talents - a country music singer. She did that for a couple of years when they lived in Indianapolis. She said she would bring in her guitar and sing. She would welcome otehrs to do that on Thursday nights, envisioning a jam session forming. On opening weekend, Ray Guyce would be there as the headline act that night.
 
  Ray's father, Anton C. Geiss was born on September 24, 1887 in Posey, IN. He passed away on September 15, 1963. His mother, Bertha, was born on June 13, 1883 in Indiana. She passed away on April 24, 1969. They are both buried in the Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Evansville. Ray passed away at the age of 75 in 1992 and was buried in Bradford County Memorial Park in Towanda, PA. One if his daughters is also buried in that cemetery.
Credits & Sources
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Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)
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