Ron Raines..Anyone Heard of Him

[SuttonBebeFaith]

Posted: 11/9/03 at 8:30pm

I just heard some cuts from his "Broadway Passion" album..and they sound fantastic! He does one of the best renditions of "If Ever I Would Leave You".

I don't think he's been on Broadway that much (he was in Chicago last year?). Why isn't this guy doing more?

[CJR]

Posted: 11/9/03 at 8:32pm

I saw him in Chicago. He wasn't my favorite, but he was very good as Billy

Posted: 11/9/03 at 8:51pm

Ron was first on Broadway in 1983, in the Houston Opera Production of SHOW BOAT, as Gaylord Ravenal. He followed that with TEDDY AND ALICE, and several years later with his replacement stint in CHICAGO.

Ron was born in Texas City, Texas, December 2, 1949. He's about to have his 54th Birthday.

Happy Birthday, Ron!

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 11/9/03 at 9:03pm

He was in a Rodgers and Hammerstein tribute on PBS with Mary Testa, Audra Macdonald, Doug Sills and Rebecca Luker, and he only sang a couple of songs, but he was quite good. I'm not a huge fan, but I do respect his talent. I haven't heard much of him on the Broadway scene either.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/9/03 at 9:17pm

He's on Guiding Light. Not that I would know; I only watch novelas on Telemundo.

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 8:40am

Ron has played Alan Spaulding on The Guiding Light for decades!

[onceadancer2]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 11:47am

Yes, he plays Bob Baker in the JAY version of WONDERFUL TOWN with Karen Mason and rebecca Luker.

Miriam

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 12:05pm

I Love Ron as Alan Spaulding! No one else can play that role! No one! Just like no one else could play Reva Shayne Spaulding Lewis Cooper Shayne. LOL

Cheers,
The Balladeer

[synchrogirl]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 1:51pm

Ron Raines has played Alan Spaulding for maybe a decade - some consider Chris Bernau, the originator of the role, to be the definitive Alan

[magruder]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 1:56pm

Ron Raines is also a pretty wonderful Starbuck on JAY's 110 in the Shade. And you can also hear him warbling "Ciao, Compare" as Sally Tomato in the studio recording of Breakfast at Tiffany's.

[bob8rich]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 2:51pm

Though I've never seen Ron Raines perform, I have many recordings of his - and he has a superb, rich baritone voice. He has done quite a few tracks on the Varese Saraband/Fynsworth alley CDs like "Lost In Boston" & "Unsung Musicals". He can be heard as Starbuck on the excellent studio recording of "110 In The Shade" and he is terrific on the recording of the Claibe Richardson/Stephen Cole musical "The Night of the Hunter".
(TNOTH btw is well worth a listen - a wonderful score.)

[WOSQ]

Posted: 11/12/03 at 10:02am

Ron Raines is a talented good guy.

Years, and I mean years if not decades ago, Ron was about the first straight man to appear as a guest artist with the NYC Gay Mens Chorus . Talk about confident and secure. There he was standing in front of 150 gay men who are ALL looking at his butt as he tensed it on those high notes and each and every one of us were thinking, "How dare he be straight?", but he is, and he's a pro and the sort of guest artist that makes everyone wish him the best is anything he does on or off stage.

I sang baritone so these sentiments can be expected from us, but even the tenors were kind.

Ron guested more than a few times over the years and he liked us for our musicianship. "How many times am I going to be asked to sing with 150 men as a back up group?"

Posted: 11/12/03 at 1:10pm

He's on MANY cds including the 2 disc recording of
MAN OF LA MANCHA as Don Quixote with West End Diva Kim Criswell as Aldonza.

and ANNIE London Recording as Warbucks with Ruthie Henshall as Grace and Kim Criswell as a very Diva Miss Hannigan.

He appears on MANY MANY compilation cds as well! :)

[SuttonBebeFaith]

Posted: 11/12/03 at 1:20pm

Thnaks you guys...didn't know if I was the only one!

It seems like he'd make a good Billy in Carousel.

Or maybe and Edna in Hairspray (too macho??).