Ray Singer was born in Tonbridge, Kent, England, and raised in Brighton. He first became involved in music by forming a skiffle group as a student in Brighton, and in 1964 made his first records as a singer under the wing of Jeffrey Kruger, who signed him to his independent record label, Ember Records, after seeing him sing in a charity show. Ember Records released Singer's "Tell Me Now" in 1964. He appeared on television programmes with The Who, the Small Faces, and The Kinks and was a featured artist on Gadzooks!, a weekly BBC2 TV show with Marianne Faithfull and Lulu. Always more interested in production/arrangement, he had the opportunity to work with record producers such as Shel Talmy and Jimmy Miller, an experience that led him to eventually produce for Chris Blackwell's Island Records. He also attended the London School of Film Technique and joined Nirvana, with fellow film student, Alex Spiropolous. They were signed to Island Records and recorded "Tiny Goddess". As a songwriter he had success with Françoise Hardy, whose version of "Tiny Goddess" went to number one in the French charts. Singer also went on to write and produce for the French singer Michel Polnareff.
Singer/Sarstedt collaboration
Whilst working in Paris he discovered a busker from London, the singer-songwriter Peter Sarstedt. Singer took him into the studios for Island and recorded Peter Sarstedt, an album of his compositions. From these sessions came the million selling "Where Do You Go To ?" Sarstedt hits that followed included "Frozen Orange Juice" and "I'm A Cathedral".
1980s–1990s
Singer was eventually to settle in London, becoming best known for his work with British singer-songwriters, including Peter Sarstedt, David Sylvian, Joan Armatrading and Ana Silvera. Some of this work was produced by his own production company, Rocking Horse Productions, which he co-founded with Simon Napier-Bell. He then went to New York where he was signed to make albums for RCA, ABC and UNI Records. He came back to London and worked mostly at Olympic Studios in Barnes with top musicians including The Average White Band's bass player Alan Gorrie and guitarist Onnie McIntyre, guitarist Chris Spedding, drummer Jim Gordon and bass player Herbie Flowers. Singer also started producing for the German record label, Ariola Records, and had hits with "When You Walk in the Room" and "It's Only Make Believe", by the boy bandChild, and subsequently had success with Joan Armatrading's "Rosie" and Robin Sarstedt's "My Resistance Is Low". He produced the first two albums for pop/rock group Japan, Adolescent Sex and Obscure Alternatives.
Singer set up his own recording studio in London and his own label, Singer Records. The success of the Wes Anderson movie, The Darjeeling Limited, with Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Anjelica Huston, which featured Peter Sarstedt's "Where Do You Go To, My Lovely", led to Singer Records releasing The Lost Album by Peter Sarstedt, which has become an iTunesbest seller. Other artists featured on Singer Records are Suggs from Madness, Toyah Willcox and Imaani from Incognito. He worked on singer-songwriter Ana Silvera's album, The Aviary, co-produced alongside Brad Albetta.
