We keep the St. Louis theme going today as we reveal the other side of Ray McKinley—the folksy, singing bandleader!
After WWII, and before he took over the leadership of the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra in the 1950s, Ray led his own highly successful (and very modern) band as both drummer and vocalist. We’ll do a deeper dive on Ray soon—he’s truly one of the great "side characters" of the era—but right now, let's dig into his big 1948 hit on RCA Victor: You Came a Long Way from St. Louis.
Let's give it a spin:
Pretty cool!
The Folksy Frontman
Ray had a relaxed, drawling vocal style that made it sound like he always "knew the score." Despite the easygoing delivery, he never loses that drummer’s sense of timing; he places his phrases exactly where they need to be to make the song swing.
A look at the label shows the side credited to "Ray McKinley and Some of the Boys." That is just so perfectly McKinley-esque—a down-home, unpretentious way of saying it’s just a small contingent of the band backing him up.
The Modern Touch
While the vocal is folksy, the arrangement is incredibly forward-thinking for 1948. Notice that Paul Kashishian (Kashian) is credited as the drummer here, playing a sparse, atmospheric part that mostly features bongos. It gives the track a "cool jazz" feel long before that term became a marketing slogan.
Ray always insisted on modern, sophisticated charts for his band, proving he was much more than just a "military march" man.
The Warehouse Verdict
So, there you have it: the two sides of Ray McKinley. He was the technically brilliant Sergeant who could get an entire army marching in St. Louis, and the hip, "small-town" vocalist who could tell you exactly how it is once you think you’ve "come a long way."
Whether he was behind the kit or behind the mic, Ray McKinley always delivered the "real dope."
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