Collin Raye

It's been five years since Collin released All I Can Be, and in that time, he's quietly made music that's set a standard for what country music can do. Always one to shun the spotlight, the Texarkana-born vocalist is only the eighth artist in the history of country music to see his first four albums -- 1991's All I Can Be, 1992's In This Life, 1994's extremes and 1995's I Think About You -- achieve platinum status and seen eight singles top the charts. "I really wanted to seek out songs that were special and stood out," the 1997 Academy of Country Music's Video of the Year winner begins, trying to explain his success. "I wanted my music to mean something to people beyond just, 'That's a good song.' I didn't dream of doing this to be a star for a day or a couple years, I wanted to make records to do something worthwhile. 

"And I've been lucky, because with the instrument I've been given, I've been able to touch people with these songs that I've found very moving myself. Being a tenor, I'm able to connect directly to other people's hearts." 

Certainly the awards and the letters from people attest to the fruit of his labor. From the moment "Love, Me" spent three weeks at the top of the charts, the response was immediate -- from the letters of people trying to cope with the loss of a loved one and finding hope in the song's message to the tombstones that had the song's chorus engraved on them. 

Since then, the Tennessee Task Force On Domestic Violence gave Collin 
their first ever Music Row award for raising awareness of spousal abuse with his "I Think About You" video, the 800# tag and PSAs that accompanied "Little Rock" has prompted more than 100,000 people to call Al-Anon for help in coping with someone else's drinking problem and "Not That Different," a video celebrating the universality of our humanity, was the ACM's Video of the Year in 1996. And there are the countless people who've been married to "In This Life" and "Man Of My Word." 

For Collin Raye, though, his music touching people in this manner is only the beginning. He's also very active in charity work -- co-hosting the Dallas Cowboys' Special Teams for Special Olympics for the last five years, chairing the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital Music City Tennis Invitational and lending his name, time or support to countless local charities. 

"This is a wonderful way to make a living," Raye enthuses. "And it makes 
you want to give back. If I can use the fact that people love my music to bring attention to a good cause, then that's great. Although I really prefer for the good works I do to be between me and the organization -- if it can help bring more people in, I understand." 

And looking at the broader perspective has always set Raye apart. Though 
he's reticent about celebrity, he's always received a fair share of notice -- from People to USA Today to Entertainment Weekly to The Chicago Tribune to Country America and Music City News, from "The Tonight Show" to "Entertainment Tonight" to "The Today Show" to CNN to "Live With Regis & Kathie Lee" and "Christmas With Kathie Lee." 

Along the way, he's also watched his music evolve. Though All I Can Be was cited as one of the Top 10 Albums of 1991 by USA Today, it was only the beginning of Collin Raye's musical evolution -- and it's been a process of self-discovery for the Dallas, Texas-based star. 

"When I first came to town, I'd been a chameleon for so long and loved so much music, I was never a guy who would say, 'I want to do this one thing.' I always wanted to cut the best songs I could find...and we've been blessed throughout this to have had great songs. "But it seems like each time we've made an album, we've become more focused and grown stronger in terms of songs. Plus, the more we've tried and the more people have accepted, the greater the risks we're willing to take. When people embraced 'Little Rock,' the way they did...that told me we could sing serious songs and know they'd get heard. So, I'm not afraid to tackle an ugly or tough subject anymore. I'm lucky that people respond to them, and that radio took a chance on some of the message songs that weren't just feel good songs. They let me let the music do something a little greater." 

And while Raye's message has been heard, he's also been careful not to fall into the trap of preaching at his fans. "You want to make people feel good -- and that can be a lot of different ways. That'swhat makes you complete as a person and as an artist. And sometimes you find out that doing something great for someone is nothing more than making 'em smile at the end of a long day. "Music can do a lot of different things for people. And that's the key -- knowing that music can work on even the most simple level. That's just as important sometimes, giving people the chance to just forget everything and have a good time." Certainly," "That's My Story," "My Kind Of Girl" and the brand new "What The Heart Wants" are songs that make people want to crank it 
up and let go. 

It's in being able to balance these two aesthetics that Collin Raye feels most alive as an artist. "I couldn't have said this four years ago, because I wouldn't have understood it but there's so much more to making records than you'd think and it's real important to remember that. If you don't have something to offer, something to give back, then why are you here? That's a really important question to ask. "You have to re-trace your steps and go back to your teen years when you were going to concerts and remember how those acts made you feel. The best ones took you through highs, lows and them made you scream, they made you sweat and they made you feel. "Ultimately, that's what I want to do with this music. Hopefully, people will look at my work and say, 'This guy is quality. His music stands the test of time...' And we can keep bringing in new elements. The challenge is to keep looking for new horizons, to find something good and interesting that nobody else has done. I want to keep the records as intriguing as we have so far. You want to keep the music fresh and offer songs that'll make people feel better one way or another." Whether offering solace to 
an aching heart, celebrating the kind of love you didn't think was possible or merely savoring a moment, no one commits to a song quite like Collin Raye. In a time when the competition for the great songs has become exponentially tougher, it's one of the reasons Collin continues getting the best songs -- that, and the fact that he loves 'em so much.

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