Blog

Ray Peters joined is first Country band in c1987 when he was 34. He was the bass player in The Mavericks (this was 2 years before Raul Malo’s Mavericks were launched in the US!). a 4-piece band based in Gravesend, Kent. The band recorded some tracks at Maida Vale studios in London. Ray left after two years when he was offered a lucrative job in Saudi Arabia. The Mavericks continued with a new bass player. On his return to England, Ray played in various rocky covers bands working in mainly pubs and social clubs in Kent.
In 1994 he moved his family to the Costa Del Sol in Spain where he started singing MOR as a soloist switching from bass to rhythm guitar.  A neighbour, who worked as a comedian on the coast and also played bass in a covers band wanted to leave the band and offered Ray the job.  Ray played with The Banned for two years until one of their resident venues wanted to switch to Country music. The Banned changed their name to Live and Kickin’ and Ray took a lot more of the lead vocals as he had by now realised just how much he loved Country music. 
Ray returned to the UK in 1999 and promptly put together another Country band, Before The Storm.  They were only a weekend band as the members were all working during the week. Ray was keen to get more work so, in 2000, he formed The Ray Peters Band.  He recruited Shaun Murray, whose band Shameless had recently split. They were then introduced to pedal steel guitarist Tony Ryan who was looking for a new band after leaving Rick McKay and Freeway and a new trio was formed.
Shaun Murray has always loved Country music and, as teenager, saved his pocket money to buy Willie Nelson, Glen Campbell and John Denver records which he then wore out trying to learn the guitar parts!  Tony Ryan had played pedal steel guitar in many established country bands since the 1980s, including Alberta, Wes Cardy Band, John Douglas & Southern Star and Johnny Earle and Southern Star before joining Freeway. The new band played their first gig at Basildon’s Silverado CMC in November that year. Audiences really took to Ray’s rich, warm Country voice, and with strong instrumental support from Tony and Shaun, the band acquired a reputation for providing excellent, authentic Country music for both dancers and listeners on the UK club and festival scene.
In 2004 Tony Ryan left to play banjo in a bluegrass band but before leaving he suggested his replacement, Dave Hayward one of the finest, most stylish steelies in the UK. The band went from strength to strength playing clubs, festivals and tours nationwide. Dave Hayward had played with several Country bands, such as Al Barrett’s Linemen, Frank Jennings Syndicate, Little Ginny, Marietta Station and the Henry Smith Band. Such was his standing as a player; he had performed at Steel Guitar festivals in the USA, Holland and Ireland; and in the UK at every British Steel Guitar festival at Newbury.  Two CD albums were released in this period, Burn ‘Em Up and Choices.  Eventually the band became a victim of their own success. With Shaun and Ray holding down day jobs life on the road became a little too much, resulting sadly, but perhaps inevitably, in the band calling it a day at the end of 2005. Ray did continue playing solo gigs for a time but he found he missed the band camaraderie.
By 2008 Shaun was missing playing in a Country band.  Since the demise of the Ray Peters Band he had been involved in other non-Country projects and was doing some Country gigs as a dep with Texas Tornados; but Country was what he loved most and he wanted to be back on the circuit.  Shaun had met Phil Bennett a few years earlier, and had done some work with him in the classical field. Phil was also part of the long-standing barn dance band, Easy Street.  Shaun considered Phil to be fiddler extraordinaire and he knew the Country circuit deserved him, and would love him! The search for a vocalist to complete the line-up led, of course, straight back to Ray Peters who was equally keen to get back to gigging and they decided to get back on the road as quickly as possible. The new line-up played their first club in September 2009 and soon re-established the popularity of the Ray Peters band.  They always included some fiddle instrumentals like Orange Blossom Special to show off Phil’s virtuosity.
The CD album Singin’, Pickin’, Fiddlin’ was released in 2011, by which time Ray was developing his own reputation as a songwriter. The album included four original compositions, The Goodbye Song in particular enjoying much success in the British Country Music charts. Ray also released a solo CD album Something Different at this time.  Phil Bennett retired from playing in April 2014 but Dave Hayward came back into the trio. Three more original songs featured on the band’s Sour Mash CD album released in 2014. The album featured both Dave and Phil.
Shaun Murray retired from the trio in April 2015 and Ray recruited another excellent guitarist, Dean Barnes, who came with an impressive pedigree. He had been playing guitar since the age of 6 and started performing as a professional lead guitarist in 1982 aged 11.  He started working with his father’s band and continued for 18 years. He had played lead guitar in differing genres including Country, blues, rock and jazz; pretty much any style that had been required. Dean had worked with such artists as George Hamilton IV, Billy Jo Spears, Philomena Begley, Sandy Newman (Marmalade), Gary Brooker (Procal Harem), Richard Hudson (The Strawbs), and Ali MacKenzie (The Birds – Brit band not The Byrds). He had a vast experience working as a session player on numerous albums with various artists over the previous 33 years.
Shortly after recruiting Dean Barnes for the trio, Ray decided to expand, forming the 5-piece Smokey Turtle Band in 2015. The band comprised Ray Peters (lead vocals and rhythm guitar) Dean Barnes (lead guitar) Dave Hayward (pedal steel guitar) Hannah Cope (bass) and Pete Hedley (drums)
Hannah Cope was passionate about Country, blues and jazz. For almost 20 years she has performed all over the UK, Ireland and the US, acquiring a rich and diverse musical background. She performed with the house band at The Golf Links, Isle of Man, backing entertainers like Bill Tarmey and Norman Wisdom; and followed her love of Country music with a duo touring the Republic Of Ireland. Hannah had toured with girl band ‘Girlz World’ and had made her mark on the UK Blues scene with outfits including The Sam Kelly Band and Rik Martin. Pete Hedley had been drumming for over 25 years, maintaining a busy session and freelance career throughout the UK and Europe. He was also a drum teacher and a faculty member at Herts College of Music. Pete had over 15 years of professional playing and gigging experience in genres including Country, blues, pop, and funk
The new band promptly produced a CD album, Ray Peters & The Smokey Turtle Band which was a live studio recording of the rehearsal for their appearance at the C2C festival at the 02 Arena London in March 2016.
Dean Barnes passed away suddenly in May 2017 and Ray was able to recruit another top guitarist, Andy ‘Twang’ Kingston who was no stranger to the British Country scene.  Not only was he an excellent guitarist but he also played keyboard and provided good harmony vocals. At the age of 12 he was given his first guitar and his Dad taught him how to play. Two years later he made his first appearance on TV when he performed the instrumental Ghost Riders In The Sky. Not long after that he joined his first Country Band, whilst still at school. Andy travelled the UK playing his guitar and met many different artists and performers; and quickly realised he wanted to be a Country musician. Since then he has been in many British Country bands including Clovis, Medicine Bow, Diamond T Band, Dusty Rhodes Band, Band Named Sioux and more recently Ridgeway Country and the Henry Smith Band. He has also backed visiting American artists including Billy Yates and Heather Myles.
In the summer of 2018, Dave Hayward left the fold and Ray was quickly able to recruit another top class steelie. Ray Phillips was well known on the Country circuit, his career began in 1983 when he joined Essex band Country Echoes. Ray played steel and lead guitar as well as doing some lead vocals. After 8 years, Ray moved on to various bands including Freddie Jameson & Convoy, Trevor Kelly & The Lonestar Flyers, Alberta and The Tony Goodacre Band. He eventually joined Kevin Stewart & First Chapter playing lead guitar and singing lead and harmony vocals. In 2006 he took over as frontman of the band when Kevin moved to Ireland. He continued with the band until the end of 2014 and then joined the Jeff Gallant Band staying until early 2018.
In January 2019 Ray decided to fold the Smokey Turtle Band after less than four years as it was almost impossible to retain a settled line-up. He continued as a trio/duo with Andy Kingston and Ray Philips but with Andy retiring and Ray joining Ridgeway Country full time he decided, reluctantly, to go solo after fulfilling any existing duo bookings using Ray if he was available and deps.