Ray Deaton Archives - Bluegrass Today

Ray Deaton passes

Ray Deaton, the original and long time bassist and bass singer with IIIrd Tyme Out, died earlier today. He was 66 years of age.

Prior to helping create IIIrd Tyme Out, Ray had been a member of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, along with Russell Moore and Mike Hartgrove. They all departed Lawson’s band together to form their own, and invited Alan Bibey to join them on mandolin. Bibey then suggested that Terry Baucom might be willing to come in on banjo. That was the start of a legendary outfit back in 1991.

Deaton was also a gifted vocalist, who could jump from singing tenor atop Moore’s soaring voice on one song, and drop to singing bass on a quartet number on the next. Those who remember IIIrd Tyme Out from those days can recall Ray’s voice rattling the low end of the sound system on the great Gospel pieces they used to do.

After leaving IIIrd Tyme Out, Ray played for a while with The Anita Fisher Band, until health issues got in the way.

For the past ten years he had suffered from cardiomyopathy and other heart ailments, and his daughter, Christy Stocks, told friends today Ray had been in and out of the ICU this past few months, and had dropped down to only 110 pounds. Today he was unable to get his breath, and died peacefully.

No information concerning funeral arrangements has yet been announced.

R.I.P., Ray Deaton.

Roger Everett passes

Most any band performing along the US east coast has made a stop in Suwannee, GA at Everett’s Music Barn. They have hosted live bluegrass music for nearly 40 years in north central Georgia. The venue has been managed by the Everett family this whole time, a spinoff of the long-running Everett Family band consisting of brothers Randall, Roger and Leroy Everett.

We have learned that Roger Everett passed away this past Friday (10/29). He was 61 years old, and had been in hospice care as a result of his long battle with leukemia. Roger was the uncle of Ray Deaton, a founding member of IIIrd Tyme Out, now performing with his own group, Grasstic Measures.

Rogers obituary is published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and includes this overview:

The original Everett Brothers band consisted of Roger Everett, Randall Everett, Leroy Everett, Pauline Everett Deaton and her son, Ray Deaton. Band personnel changed through the years, and Roger was the only Everett brother band mate still alive. Randall died three years ago; Leroy died in 1971, shortly after the barn was built.

In 1992, the Everett Brothers were inducted into the Georgia Country Music Hall of Fame. The next year, the band released “A Little Farther Down the Road,” a CD whose title song had been written by Mr. Everett years before.

“The things he expressed in that song, I can see,” said Diane Everett Dunaway, a niece who is the daughter of the late Leroy Everett. “My grandfather plowing in the field. The vegetable garden and the old wooden stove. He wrote about these things being very much a part of life and that we should remember those times.”

Ray Deaton update

We received an encouraging update from Christy Stocks about her dad, Ray Deaton’s, condition.

“He was released from the hospital today and is feeling much better. They were able to drain all the fluid off his lungs and heart. I was informed today by his doctor that he does have more damage to his heart however they are still running tests. He is being watched closely by physicians over the next few weeks and they are working on adding new medications to what he is currently taking. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

I have received a few calls asking of ways to contact him. You may send e-mails to christystocks@yahoo.com requesting an address or you can send any well wishes his way and I will make sure he receives them.”

Ray Deaton hospitalized

We just received a distressing note from Christy Stocks, daughter of Ray Deaton, a founding member of IIIrd Tyme Out, currently performing with The Anita Fisher Band.

“My name is Christy and Ray Deaton is my father. I thought his friends and fans would like to know he is very ill in the hospital. He was diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy years ago and he is having some major issues with it.

He was admitted in the hospital yesterday (Sunday 5/24) and was told if he hadn’t come he would not have made it much longer. His lungs are full of fluid and he has fluid all around his heart. His heart has deteriorated, however, we are still unsure of the extent. As many of you may already know Cardiomyopathy is a serious heart condition that can only be corrected with a heart transplant. We are in hopes he will not need to have this but we are unsure.

He does not have insurance so I am in hopes he will get the care he needs. Please pray for him in getting through this difficult time.

I will post more information once I know more.”

Ray Deaton leaving IIIrd Tyme Out

And the band news just keeps swirling…

We just got a note from Russell Moore of IIIrd Tyme Out with the news that Ray Deaton, original member, bass player and singer – and primary booking agent for the band – will be leaving at the end of 2007. Russell said that the band will take their customary month of December vacation – though somewhat truncated this year – and reemerge in January with the new bass player in tow.

Ray is leaving to work full time with The Anita Fisher Band, with whom he has been performing on a part time basis. Anita and Ray are engaged to be married, and it seemed that this move was inevitable. They have completed a Gospel recording that is expected to be released in May 2007.

Russell said that Ray gave his notice a few weeks ago, and that he is sorry to see his friend and band mate leave.

“Ray has been standing beside me on stage for over twenty years and he will be missed by myself and all the other members of IIIrd Tyme Out. We look forward to the rest of this year’s show dates, where our friends and fans can expect to hear the songs they’ve come to know and love over the past fifteen years. We all wish Ray the best in the future and in everything he does. The rest of us are committed to continuing on and look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead, and to sharing those opportunities with everyone across the country.”

Russell also mentioned that they are hard at work completing the edits for their live concert DVD, and hope to have it ready for the table this spring.

Ray Deaton moonlighting with Anita Fisher

We got a note from IIIrd Tyme Out bassist and Deaton Agency founder, Ray Deaton, which will surely be of interest to our readers.

Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that I am still very much a member of IIIrd Tyme Out. However, I am excited to announce that I am also a full time member of The Anita Fisher Band. I have joined the band as a bass player and vocalist. I would like to invite you to visit our website and come see us in person whenever you can. This band is very talented and it is a great honor to be a part of it.

One imagines that since The Deaton Agency books both acts, Ray should be able to handle the double duty schedule just fine.