JOE GRAY - THE KNIGHTS OF DAY
Years Playing 196? - 197?
Members:
         Joe Gray - guitar
         Rick Cowling - guitar
Releases:
Members came from:The Del Reys (changed their name to The Knights Of Day)
Members Went To: Satin, The Garden Party

From the Nebraska Hall of Fame: Born in 1944, Joe Gray is one of the first Lincoln, Nebraska musicians to enter the wonderful world of rock & roll. Joe became interested in rock music in the mid-1950's by listening to his sister talk on his family party-line to Nebraska's first rock singer, Bobby Lowell.

Joe's first live performance was playing guitar with Saint Vince & The Swing Kings (Crazy Vince Conners aka Jim Smithson). Their first gig was between DJ record spins at Pershing Auditorium in downtown Lincoln. Joe was 14 years old at the time.

Joe played along side and was friends with many early Nebraska rockers, including Bobby Lowell, Pat Glenn, Jim Akin, Jim Cidlik, and Charley Bonds.

Joe's next band was The Rebounds. They recorded "Diary of Life" & "Graveyard Pistol" recorded at Wolz Music Store in Lincoln and released on ELCO Records, from New Orleans, LA.

Joe later played in some of Lincoln's first club bands-The Invaders with Jim Akin and The Thunderbirds. These bands played at many of the great rock bars along Cornhusker Highway, including the original Royal Grove and Robbie's Happy Corner.

IN the mid-60's Joe joined a group, originally formed in Orchard, NE (The Del Rays) by guitar wizard, Rick Cowling. Changing their name to The Knights of Day---Another "High Hair" band, they became a fixture as a house band at Robbie's Happy Corner as well as touring the country till the early 1970's. Gray has switched to bass years before, and became well known for his soaring tenor Vocals in soulful versions of "Angel Baby" and "Mr. Pitiful".

Joe later played in "Satin" & The Black Magic Band (aka Hercules & The Black Magic Band) and his favorite group- The Garden Party. Joe has recorded with Bobby Lowell in the mid-1980's and with Larry Hall "The Ghost of Billy the Kid". Now retired form active playing, Joe Gray is considered on of the most influential, talented and hard working good guys in Nebraska pop music history.