Eurodisco arranger, conductor producer, and performer Raymond Donnez – born on September 9, 1942 in Aulnay-sous-Bois, near Paris, France – was better known by his stage name Don Ray. He became an arranger in his 20s, working with French artists such as Michel Sardou, Claude François, Linda de Suza, and Patricia Lavila. He was a successful arranger for several Eurovision Song Contest entries between 1974 and 1977, two of which were contest winners. Don Ray arranged the 1976 hit "Avant de nous dire adieu" by American model Jeane Manson. He then became best-known for his work in the disco market, producing Santa Esmerelda’s hit version of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”. He played keyboard on several of Cerrone’s albums in the mid-to-late ‘70s before recording his own album The Garden of Love (1978), which was produced by Cerrone. Don Ray worked closely with French singer, songwriter, and musician Alec Costandinos, appearing on many of his albums. Raymond ‘Don Ray’ Donnez died on March 7, 2019.
