Ray Stevens’ Younger Brother Has “Unexpectedly” Died At Age 75

In a saddening turn of events, Ray Stevens is mourning a beloved member of his family.

Stevens, whose real name is Harold Ray Ragsdale, has been a fixture in the country music scene since the early 1960s. He has won Grammy Awards for his songs “Everything Is Beautiful” and “Misty” and has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, the Christian Music Hall of Fame, as well as the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Beyond that, Ray has also made a name for himself in the comedy music world, releasing hits such as “The Streak,” “Mississippi Squirrel Revival,” and “Gitarzan.”

Along with all his accolades, Ray is a family man in every sense of the word. He has two daughters – Suzi and Tami – and has even performed with one of them.

Beyond being a beloved father, he is also a loyal brother. Ray grew up with one sibling, a brother named John W. Ragsdale. They remained extremely close in their adult life, John even being a huge part of Ray’s career.

https://www.facebook.com/raystevensmusic1707/posts/10157143869864871

According to a post on Ray’s Instagram, John “was the Tuxedoed Master of Ceremonies, Gorilla who swung in on a vine during the ‘Gitarzan’ performance of Ray’s shows [in Branson] and the man who oversaw the Gift Shop as well as Ray’s Concessions Business when on the road.”

The post also says that John has appeared in several of Ray’s music videos. Sadly, the same Instagram post explaining John’s life was to let fans know about his unexpected passing.

The post read, “Ray’s younger brother and only sibling John W. Ragsdale died unexpectedly from a fall at his home on the Island of Popa Loma in the Bocas Del Toro region of Panama this past week-end. John was 75 and in excellent health.”

We are so sorry to hear about John’s passing and we will keep Ray and his family in our prayers. See the full post below, and make sure to swipe through to see the series of photos and videos Ray shared of his brother.