Oregon had its own “father of rock & roll.” Some have called Johnnie Ray, an Oregon farm boy turned teen idol, the musical link between Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. In the early 1950s, Ray’s songs ...

OPB, a member-supported public media organization serving the Northwest, today announced the premiere of a new documentary about Johnnie Ray, an Oregon-born singer, songwriter and 1950s teen idol.

Johnnie Ray’s unique sound and emotional performances led the way for rock ‘n roll. In the early 1950s, Oregon singer Johnnie Ray was one of the biggest pop stars in the world. His unique sound, along ...