As the former Kinks frontman and new international treasure celebrates his 73rd birthday this week, we’re proud to present ‘Ray Davies – A Love Story’, a collection of your recollections of how this legendary singer-songwriter has touched your lives, from his earliest days to this year’s ‘Americana’ album.

“The master of the masters. The Van Gogh and Charles Dickens of this generation. New generations will discover what he and his band mates presented as well as his solo work. He has left a legacy for sure – and still more to enjoy and hear with Americana Part II coming soon. Love it!”
– Joshua Simons

“The story of my life… I could write a book.”
– Christine Malley

“My first memories are around 1967 when I went into town in Birmingham (UK) with my older brother and bought a Kinks compilation. There was a track on there called ‘I Need You’ which, if it is possible to be blown away at the age of 6, completely blew me away.”
– Richard Alger

“Please tour… Great Album!”
– Rohn Thackston

“The first appearance of a rock ‘n’ roll album in my family home was “Kinkdom”. I couldn’t ask for a better introduction. Magic!”
– Magnus Hägermyr

“For me, it was Tired of Waiting. I was riding down the block with my transistor radio earpiece in. I heard that song, stopped riding and listened to the rest.”
– Ross Decker Sr.

“Been a fan all my life but ‘Americana’ for me is the most impressive – for the quintessential English songwriter to look westwards at this stage in life is highly courageous.”
– William Bell

“When my oldest daughter was still a toddler, we would dance to ‘You Really Got Me’, ‘All Day and All of the Night’ and other early Kinks classics. 40 years later, The Kinks are still the best band ever!”
– Jon Schneider

“Met Ray at a book signing for X-Ray and he also signed my Kinks albums. He was very gracious and unfortunately my book was stolen. It was personalized to me, Love, Ray Davies. I had a photo of us but after quite a few moves it may not have survived. His solo Storyteller shows were brilliant.”
– Maryanne Mortenson

“When ‘Waterloo Sunset’ was first released I thought then as I do now that it’s the greatest song ever written. With its sublime words harmonies and instrumentation, it’s three minutes of sheer bliss that I never tire of listening to.”
– Roger Hilliard

“Why is Ray Davies my favorite songwriter off all time? NO person past or living including my parents has had more effect on my life and how I see and view the world than Raymond Douglas Davies.”
– Frank Lima

“My dad sadly passed away in February this year. I now have his Kinks CDs and will always listen back to them with lots of fond memories of my dad’s stories, and how he would sit and strum his guitar, singing the songs.”
– Kimberley Vickers

“Everytime The Kinks reissue a CD my dad buys it and gives me the old copy and I love it. I’ve just added Working Man’s Cafe and Americana to it and I couldn’t be happier. I can’t wait to have a kid of my own to pass the music onto.”
– Justin Papa

“I won an EP in a radio programme in Sweden in 1964 and here I am!”
– Anneli

“To recall the exact moment I fell madly in love with Ray Davies, I have to pass back my mind for a while and remember a time when I was a child. The first time I heard ‘You Really Got Me’, I was in the car with my family and he had me at “Girl!”.”
– Christine Michelson

“I feel there is a Ray song for every moment in life and his music continues to comfort and inspire me. Recently going through some tough times I have literally been listening to his songs ‘All the Day and All of the Night’!! We love you Ray!”
– Erin Bienvenu

“I first heard the Kinks when ‘Victoria’ was playing on my transistor radio. I was swinging outside on a swing. And absolutely loved that song! Rock On Ray!”
– Cheryl Frederick

“I was 13 years old and madly in love with a boy a year above me at school. My mum wouldn’t let me go out to meet him, so I went up to my bedroom and put ‘Waterloo Sunset’ on my Dansette record player and sobbed my heart out. I’m 62 years old now and this is still probably my all time favourite song.”
– Helene Morris

“With every high and low there has been in my life, there has been a song written by Sir Ray Davies to fit each scenario.”
– James Swartz

“I’m 56 years old. The music of the Kinks and then of Ray Davies and his brother Dave has shaped and is woven through the fabric of my life since I was 14 years old.”
– Randie Ehrlich

“‘Message From The Road’ is still my first and favourite. I was actually driving down the road in Albuquerque with my Aunt when she put it on. And I listened as I stared out at the desert.”
– John Inceton

“That after 53 years as a recording artist he can still make a great album like ‘Americana’ is a sign of creativity that is very rare in pop music.”
– Johan Boukes

“I proposed to my wife after we went to see Ray play at the Roundhouse in October 2007. She said yes. The Kinks featured heavily on the Wedding playlist.”
– Paul (Kentish Town)

“My Ray Davies story dates back to 1998 where he was scheduled to do a signing for his ‘Storyteller’ album in the Borders Bookstore (RIP) in downtown Boston, so many people showed up that the event was moved across the street to the Old North Church. At one point, he looked around the colonial-era interior and proclaimed, “I shall reclaim this building for Britain!” It was a magical moment.”
– Joe Hedio, Salem, MA

 

Click here to win a Kinks bundle, containing a special Kinks T-shirt, bag, x3 vinyl and badges…