Ray Manzarek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ray Manzarek
Manzarek in 1971
Born	Raymond Daniel Manczarek Jr. (1939-02-12)February 12, 1939 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	May 20, 2013(2013-05-20) (aged 74) Rosenheim, Germany
Occupation	Musician
Years active	1959–2013
Spouse(s)	Dorothy Aiko Fujikawa ​ (m. 1967)​
Children	1
Musical career
Genres	Psychedelic rock jazz fusion
Instruments	Keyboards vocals
Labels	Elektra
Associated acts	The Doors Iggy Pop Manzarek–Krieger Rick & the Ravens Nite City The Manzarek–Rogers Band

Raymond Daniel Manzarek Jr. (born Manczarek; February 12, 1939 – May 20, 2013) was an American keyboard player. He is most famous for being a member of The Doors. He helped start the band with singer Jim Morrison in 1965.

Manzarek was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 as part of The Doors. He also helped create the bands Nite City (1977–1978) and Manzarek–Krieger (2001–2013). USA Today called him "one of the best keyboardists ever."

Ray Manzarek's Early Life

Raymond Daniel Manczarek Jr. was born and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. His parents, Helena Kolenda and Raymond Manczarek Sr., were of Polish background. His grandparents came from Poland in the 1890s.

After finishing high school in 1956, Manzarek went to DePaul University. There, he played piano in his fraternity's jazz band. He also helped organize a concert with famous musicians Sonny Rollins and Dave Brubeck. He earned a degree in economics in 1960.

Later, in 1961, Manzarek briefly studied law at University of California, Los Angeles. He then switched to film studies at UCLA. He eventually left school for a short time. He even tried to join the Army as a camera operator.

Forming The Doors

Manzarek went back to UCLA in 1962 to study film. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1965. During this time, he met his future wife, Dorothy Fujikawa. He also met Jim Morrison, who was a film student too.

At this time, Manzarek was in a band called Rick & the Ravens with his brothers. After finishing film school, Manzarek and Morrison met by chance on Venice Beach in California. Morrison told Manzarek he had written some songs. Manzarek was interested and listened to Morrison sing.

Manzarek also met teenage guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore at a meditation lecture. He asked them to join his new band. Densmore later said that The Doors would not have existed without this meeting.

The Doors' Early Days

In January 1966, The Doors became the house band at the London Fog club. Manzarek said that not many people came to this club. This gave the band time to practice and improve their music.

After being fired from the London Fog, they became the house band at the Whisky a Go Go. The Doors first signed a recording contract with Columbia Records. But after a few months, they were released from their contract. Later, Jac Holzman discovered The Doors and signed them to Elektra Records.

From left to right, Densmore, Krieger, Manzarek and Morrison in a publicity photo from 1966

Manzarek's Unique Sound

The Doors did not have a bass guitarist for live shows. So, Manzarek played the bass parts on a Fender Rhodes piano keyboard bass. His special sound came from the Vox Continental combo organ. Many other psychedelic rock bands used this instrument too. He also used a Gibson G-101 Kalamazoo combo organ for the band's later albums.

Manzarek performing live on Danish television, using his signature technique: a Rhodes Piano Bass with his left hand, while performing the main melodies with his right on an organ.

Manzarek was also the band's regular backing singer when Morrison was the lead singer. Sometimes, he sang lead vocals himself. Examples include "Close to You" and "You Need Meat (Don't Go No Further)." After Morrison's death, Manzarek shared lead vocals with Krieger on the albums Other Voices and Full Circle.

Later Music and Influence

After The Doors, Manzarek released two solo albums in 1974. He also played in several other groups, like Nite City. He recorded a rock version of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in 1983. He also played with Iggy Pop and on an album by Echo & the Bunnymen.

Manzarek produced the first four albums for the punk band X. Two of these albums were even listed among Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Manzarek in March 2006, performing in the Netherlands

His book about his life with The Doors, Light My Fire: My Life with the Doors, came out in 1998. He also wrote two novels. In 2000, he worked with British singer Darryl Read on a poetry album called Freshly Dug. He also co-wrote and directed a film called Love Her Madly.

In 2006, Manzarek worked with composer Bal on an electronic music album called Atonal Head. In 2009, Manzarek and Robby Krieger appeared on Daryl Hall's online concert show. They played several Doors songs with Hall singing.

In his later years, Manzarek often played with local bands in California. In 2009, he played keyboards on the song "Craigslist" by "Weird Al" Yankovic. Yankovic said it was a great honor to work with Manzarek. Manzarek also recorded two albums with slide guitarist Roy Rogers.

Manzarek at the Bospop festival, Weert 2010, the Netherlands

Personal Life and Legacy

Ray Manzarek married Dorothy Aiko Fujikawa in Los Angeles on December 21, 1967. Jim Morrison and his partner Pamela Courson were witnesses at their wedding. Ray and Dorothy stayed married until his death. They had one son, Pablo, born in 1973, and three grandchildren.

In March 2013, Manzarek was diagnosed with a rare cancer called cholangiocarcinoma. He traveled to Germany for treatment. Before he passed away, he made up with John Densmore and spoke to Robby Krieger. He even played a private concert for his doctors and nurses.

Manzarek died on May 20, 2013, in a hospital in Rosenheim, Germany. He was 74 years old and was surrounded by his family. Robby Krieger said he was very sad to hear the news and would miss his friend and bandmate. John Densmore said that Ray was the perfect keyboard player for Jim Morrison's words.

Greg Harris, the president of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, said that the music world lost a great person. He added that Manzarek was key in making The Doors one of the most important bands of the 1960s. He mentioned songs like "Light My Fire" and "People Are Strange" that were shaped by Manzarek's playing.

On February 12, 2016, Densmore and Krieger played together for the first time in 15 years. This concert was a tribute to Manzarek and raised money for cancer research. It was held on what would have been Manzarek's 77th birthday.

In April 2018, a film called Break On Thru: A Celebration of Ray Manzarek and the Doors was released. It showed the 2016 tribute concert and included new interviews. The film won an award at the Asbury Park Music & Film Festival.

Music Albums

Here are some of the albums Ray Manzarek worked on:

With The Doors

Solo Albums

• The Golden Scarab (1974)
• The Whole Thing Started with Rock & Roll Now It's Out of Control (1974)
• Carmina Burana (1983)
• Love Her Madly (2006)

With Nite City

• Nite City (1977)
• Golden Days Diamond Nights (1978)

With X

• Los Angeles (1978)

With Piotr Bal

• Atonal Head (2006)

With Michael McClure

• Love Lion (1993)
• The Piano Poems: Live From San Francisco (2012)

With Darryl Read

• Freshly Dug (1999)

With Roy Rogers

• Ballads Before The Rain (2008)
• Translucent Blues (2011)
• Twisted Tales (2013)

With "Weird Al" Yankovic

• "Craigslist" (2009)

Films and Books

Films Ray Manzarek Was Involved In

• Love Her Madly (2000) - Director and co-writer.
• Induction (1965) - Actor, director, and writer.
• The Wino and the Blind Man (1964) - Actor.
• Evergreen (1965) - Writer and Director.
• Deal of the Century (1983) - Actor.

Books Written by Ray Manzarek

• Light My Fire: My Life with the Doors (1999) ISBN: 0-425-17045-4
• The Poet in Exile (2001) ISBN: 1-56025-447-5
• Snake Moon (2006) ISBN: 1-59780-041-4

See also

In Spanish: Ray Manzarek para niños