“LIFE AIN’T EASY” – By Des Kelly

They called him Dr.Hook, and his “Medicine Show”, after Ray Sawyer lost one eye in an automobile accident in 1967. Here was another young American Singer who was immensely popular during the 1970’s. Ray, “eye-patch” Sawyer was born on the 1st of February, 1937, joined the Alabama Group “The Medicine Show”, in 1969, two years after the accident that cost him his right eye, as a founder member of the Group, whose lead singer was Dennis Locorriere, but it was the “pirate-patch” that he wore permanantly, that not only made him stand out, but caused the Medicine Show to be renamed “Dr.Hook & the Medicine Show. Ray Sawyer, however, was also an entertainer that “sang a pretty good song” & the group were absolutely thrilled when they DID finally get their picture on the cover of a “Rolling-Stone” magazine, actually recording a special song with the same title, as a dedication to “The Stones” who were huge, at the time. Ray Sawyer left the original group to go solo, in 1981, losing touch with his “other” lead singer, Dennis, but, during the preceding 12 years, the band was very popular indeed & had thousands of “fans” of which, I was one. Loved most of the songs they did & quite possibly “taped” most of them.

Ray Sawyer, Dr. Hook, died in his sleep, aged 81, on the 31st December 2018, after a short illness, and to his wife Linda, the rest of his family and fans around the World, eLanka sends our condolences.