Ray Manzarek
Organ, Electric Piano, Harpsichord, Piano, Marxophone, Keyboard
May 20, 2013 (Age 74) died
February 12, 1939 Birthday
Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Birthplace
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Ray Manzarek was one of the most influential rock keyboardists in history. A founding member of The Doors, he combined elements of rock, jazz, and classical music to create his unique sound. When The Doors formed in 1965, the band did not include a bassist, leaving Manzarek to play both the bass lines and main melodies on his keyboard. The group released several iconic albums before the untimely death of lead singer Jim Morrison in 1971. Without Morrison, The Doors could not continue as a band, but Manzarek remained active in music. In 1974, he released two solo albums and later formed the band Nite City, which released several albums in the late 1970s. Manzarek worked with the iconic punk band X and produced 4 of their albums, including their acclaimed 1980 record "Los Angeles." He collaborated with a wide range of artists including Phillip Glass, Iggy Pop, Michael McClure, and Darryl Read. In 2002, Manzarek reunited with Robby Krieger and the two toured together playing classic Doors songs. Manzarek's other creative pursuits include a memoir, two novels and the 2000 film "Love Her Madly." Ray Manzarek passed away from cancer in 2013 at the age of 74.
Trivia
Ray Manzarek, as a member of The Doors, was inducted into the Rock in Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2009 Ray Manzarek teamed up with Weird Al Yankovic to record "Craigslist" a Doors style-parody song. While at DePaul University, Ray Manzarek organized a charity concert with Sonny Rollins and Dave Brubeck.
Early Life
Ray Manzarek was born in 1939 and grew up on Chicago's South Side. He began playing the piano at age seven and during high school played in a band with his brothers, Rick and Jim. Manzarek went on to study economics at DePaul University, where he also played in his fraternity's jazz band. In 1961, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a law degree at UCLA but soon discovered that film studies suited him better. He graduated in 1965 with an MFA in cinematography. While at UCLA, Manzarek met fellow film student Jim Morrison. After graduation the two realized that Morrison's poetry and Manzarek's musical ideas were a good match. They recruited guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore to form The Doors.
Ray Manzarek Solos
1972
Piano solo - Good Rockin' - 1972
4/4 rock in A major at 143 BPM
Organ solo - The Mosquito - 1972
4/4 rock in E major at 148 BPM
Electric Piano solo - The Piano Bird - 1972
4/4 rock in A minor at 168 BPM
1971
Organ solo - Love Her Madly - 1971
4/4 rock in A minor at 147 BPM
Electric Piano solo - L.A. Woman - 1971
4/4 rock in A major at 170 BPM
Organ solo - L'America - 1971
4/4 rock in E major at 140 BPM
Organ solo - Hyacinth House - 1971
4/4 rock in D major at 85 BPM
Electric Piano solo - Crawling King Snake - 1971
4/4 rock in E major at 80 BPM
Organ solo - The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) - 1971
4/4 rock in A major at 118 BPM
Electric Piano solo - Riders on the Storm - 1971
4/4 rock in E minor at 105 BPM
Keyboard solo - I'm Horny, I'm Stoned - 1971
4/4 rock in C major at 162 BPM
1969
Harpsichord solo - Shaman's Blues - 1969
3/4 waltz in G minor at 146 BPM
Organ solo - Queen of the Highway - 1969
4/4 rock in G minor at 127 BPM
Organ solo - Maggie M'Gill - 1969
4/4 rock in A minor at 93 BPM
1968
Harpsichord solo - Wintertime Love - 1968
3/4 waltz in B minor at 171 BPM
1967
Harpsichord solo - Love Me Two Times - 1967
4/4 rock in E minor at 134 BPM
1966
Organ solo - Break On Through (To The Other Side) - 1966
4/4 rock in E minor at 184 BPM
Piano solo - The Crystal Ship - 1966
4/4 rock in F minor at 184 BPM
Marxophone solo - Alabama Song - 1966
4/4 rock in F major at 117 BPM
Organ solo - Light My Fire - 1966
4/4 rock in A♭ minor at 129 BPM
Organ solo - I Looked At You - 1966
4/4 rock in C major at 150 BPM
Organ solo - Take It As It Comes - 1966
4/4 rock in A minor at 154 BPM
Organ solo - Take It As It Comes - 1966
4/4 rock in A minor at 150 BPM