Spouse Kathleen Lynch Role Guitarist · raylynch.com | Name Ray Lynch Years active c. 1980–present | |
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Born July 3, 1943 (age 80) ( 1943-07-03 ) Genres Adult Alternative, New-age, Instrumental, Classical Occupation(s) Composer, musician, mathematician, author Labels Ray Lynch ProductionsWindham Hill Records Education University of Texas at Austin Albums Deep Breakfast, The Sky of Mind, No Blue Thing, Nothing Above My Shoulder, Ray Lynch: Best Of - Volume O Profiles | ||
Ray Lynch Best of --- Volume One HQ --- New Age Music
Raymond "Ray" Lynch (born July 3, 1943) is an American guitarist, lutenist, keyboardist, and composer. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Lynch played various instruments classically and attended the University of Texas before beginning his musical career in 1967. Initially, Lynch performed as a lutenist with The Renaissance Quartet in New York City. After leaving music in 1974, Lynch worked as a carpenter and a purchasing agent while continuing to practice with music. During that time, Lynch studied with his spiritual teacher, Adi Da, who would ultimately encourage him to return to music. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Lynch he produced many albums including Deep Breakfast, No Blue Thing, and Nothing Above My Shoulders but the Evening. Initially producing his music independently, Lynch eventually worked with Music West. After Lynch sued and left the company, Lynch joined Windham Hill in 1991 before leaving in 2000. During his music career, Lynch won three Billboard awards.
Contents
- Ray Lynch Best of Volume One HQ New Age Music
- 1984 Ray Lynch Deep Breakfast Cassette Rip
- Early life
- Career
- Influences
- Personal life
- Awards
- References
(1984) Ray Lynch - Deep Breakfast [Cassette Rip]
Early life
Lynch was born on July 3, 1943 in Salt Lake City, Utah and was raised in West Texas. Lynch's father was a lawyer while Lynch's mother, who was an amateur pianist, influenced him to create music as a child. Other early influences cited by Lynch himself included from hymns and soundtracks. At age 6, Lynch began studying the piano until age 12, where he was inspired by the music of Andrés Segovia's classical recordings and decided to pursue a career in music. After attending High School in both St. Stephen's Episcopal School and Austin High School, Lynch attended the main campus of University of Texas. After studying for about a year, Lynch moved to Barcelona, Spain where he apprenticed to the classical guitar teacher, Eduardo Sainz de la Maza. After three years, Lynch returned to the university to study composition with various instruments including guitar, lute, and vihuela.
Career
While at college, Lynch was invited to New York City in 1967 to join The Renaissance Quartet, performing the lute alongside Robert White (tenor), Barbara Mueser (viol), and Morris Newman (recorder), replacing Joseph Iadone. During his time with the band and other groups, he performed for seven years under his full name "Raymond Lynch". On February 4, 1969, Lynch performed Renaissance music with Swiss tenor Hugues Cuénod at the Smithsonian. During this time, Lynch also taught the guitar, lute, and vihuela in the Mexican city of Taxco. Afterwards, Lynch moved to 125-acre farm in Maine before facing a "spiritual crisis". Lynch soon moved to California and became a carpenter and a purchasing agent while continuing to practice his compositional skills. In an interview with Arizona Republic, Lynch said that he returned to music after studying with his spiritual teacher Adi Da, who suggested that Lynch return to music.
In 1980, Lynch bought an ARP Odyssey with "borrowed money". Afterwards, he began writing instrumental recordings that blended classical and electronic components into melodic soundscapes. Afterwards, Lynch released his first album, Truth is the Only Profound, which recites the teachings of Adi Da "set to the background of devotional music and songs". Lynch later followed up with an instrumental album, The Sky of Mind. When Lynch released his third album, Deep Breakfast, in 1984 independently, he sold over 72,000 albums out of their small apartment in San Rafael, California. Lynch was later featured on Musical Starstreams on June 1985. After releasing the album widely under Music West Records in 1986, Deep Breakfast was eventually certified Platinum by the RIAA. In 1989, No Blue Thing became Lynch's first album to hit #1 on Billboard's "Top New Age Albums" chart. "No Blue Thing" was also his only album to appear on Billboard's "Top 200 Albums", peaking at #197.
During his time with Music West, Lynch was featured on Good Morning America as well as the Spanish La 1 program "Música N.A.". In 1991, Lynch sued Music West for allegedly not paying him for his work. Lynch later left the company and retained the rights of his music on his independent label, "Ray Lynch Productions", with his wife Kathleen serving as manager. After signing up with Windham Hill Records, Lynch's albums were re-released on September 1992 with new album covers.
Under the new record company, Lynch followed up with his final album, the classical Nothing Above My Shoulders but the Evening, in 1993. The album featured members of the San Francisco Symphony. Like the preceding album, it hit #1 on the "Top New Age Albums" chart. In 1998, Lynch released his first and only compilation album, Ray Lynch: Best Of, Volume One. The compilation also includes newer material, which includes two original tracks and a remix of "Celestial Soda Pop". Afterwards, Lynch left Windham Hill in 2000 and released his music under his own record company.
Influences
Throughout his career, Lynch did not want his music to be classified as "New Age". In an interview with CD Review on August 1989, Lynch and said he didn't really mind being labeled as a "new age" artist, but says that he doesn't like "being grouped with music that I felt is, in general, pretty mediocre and boring". Lynch also said that "'classical' would be the best category for me."
Lynch had been both a student and follower of Adi Da since 1974. In regards to the spiritual nature of his music, Lynch believed that it "has to be judged subjectively by the listener, not the composer." Lynch named several of his songs and albums after the themes found in Da's novel, The Mummery Book. However, in a 1989 Arizona Republic interview, Lynch clarified that he wasn't trying to promote Da's work through his music. After the death of Adi Da, Lynch performed various songs for Da's tribute album, "May You Ever Dwell In Our Heart", in 2009.
Personal life
Lynch had three siblings and was the second born child of his family. Lynch is married to Kathleen Lynch. In an interview with Vancouver Sun, Lynch said that he received fan mail from a variety of people, including terminally ill patients.
On September 2015, Lynch's house was destroyed by the Valley Fire, along with his studio, awards, and the master tapes of his music. As a result, his friend Grant Valdes Huling set up a GoFundMe page and raised over $10,000 in 23 days.
Awards
Lynch won Billboard's "Top New Age Artists" in both 1989 and 1990. Furthermore, Lynch's album "No Blue Thing" won Billboard's "Top New Age Album".