Performance · Other credits

Ray Collins

Ray Collins is credited on 803 releases across 76 albums tracked on Gatefold, active 1958–2025 — the collector-built map of who actually made the music.

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803

Credits

76

Albums

8

Decades active

331

In collections

Biography

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Showing the Discogs bio

Ray Collins (November 19, 1936 - December 24, 2012) was an American musician.
Collins grew up in Pomona, California singing in his school choir, the son of a local police officer. He quit high school to get married.
He started his musical career singing falsetto backup vocals for various 'doo-wop' groups in the Los Angeles area in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including Little Julian Herrera and the Tigers. In 1964, Collins, drummer Jimmy Carl Black bassist Roy Estrada saxophonist Dave Coronado and guitarist Ray Hunt formed The Soul Giants. Upon Hunt's departure, he was replaced by Frank Zappa on guitar. Under Zappa's leadership, the Soul Giants turned into the Mothers of Invention. Ray was the lead vocalist on the Mothers early albums, including Freak Out!, Absolutely Free and Cruising with Ruben & the Jets. He contributed to other Zappa projects through the mid-1970s.
Collins resided in Claremont, California, until his death on December 24, 2012. He was 76 years old.

Bio from Discogs

Credited work

803 releases · 76 albums · active 1958–2025

  • Performance · 1,388
  • Other credits · 424
  • Mastering · 1

Studios: T.T.G. Studios · Apostolic Studios · Bolic Sound · Paramount Recording Studios

Discography

Records they worked on — most-collected first.

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