Dobie Gray (born Lawrence Darrow Brown; July 26, 1940 – December 6, 2011) was an American singer and songwriter.

[2] In the early 1960s Gray moved to Los Angeles, intending to pursue an acting career while also singing to make money.

Written by Billy Page and arranged by his brother Gene[7] and produced by Fred Darian,[4][8] Gray's record reached No.

The follow-up, "See You at the Go-Go", recorded with such top session musicians as Kaye, Hal Blaine, and Larry Knechtel, also reached the Hot 100, and he issued an album, Dobie Gray Sings for 'In' Crowders That Go 'Go Go,' which featured some self-penned songs.

[5] Gray continued to record, albeit with little success, for small labels such as Charger and White Whale, as well as contributing to movie soundtracks.

Among the songs they recorded at the Quadrafonic Sound Studios, co-owned by session musicians Norbert Putnam and David Briggs, was Mentor Williams' "Drift Away", featuring a guitar riff by Reggie Young.

17 in the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1973, sold over 1 million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA on July 5, 1973.

"[3] In the mid-1970s, he moved permanently to Nashville and signed with Capricorn Records, writing songs in collaboration with Troy Seals.

[4] He increasingly concentrated on songwriting, writing songs for a variety of artists including Ray Charles, George Jones, Johnny Mathis, Charley Pride, and Don Williams.

[1][13] His country albums included From Where I Stand in 1986, and he made several appearances at Charlie Daniels' popular Volunteer Jam concerts.

[3] Gray sang the song "Paradise Road", which appeared in the 1988 film Blind Justice, starring Christopher Cazenove, Patrick Shai, Oliver Reed and Edita Brychta.

[citation needed] Gray died on December 6, 2011, of complications from cancer surgery in Nashville, Tennessee, aged 71.

Upon his passing, he bequeathed 100% of his musical assets and royalties in trust to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Tennessee School for the Blind.