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Strong Persuader
 
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Strong Persuader

Robert Cray
4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews) More about this product

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Frequently Bought Together

Strong Persuader + Some Rainy Morning + I Was Warned
Price For All Three: $36.93

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  • This item: Strong Persuader ~ Robert Cray

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  • Some Rainy Morning ~ Robert Cray

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  • I Was Warned ~ Robert Cray

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Product Details

  • Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
  • Original Release Date: 1986
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: Island / Mercury
  • ASIN: B000001FKR
  • Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #26,492 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.

Samples
Song TitleArtist Time Price
listen  1. Smoking GunThe Robert Cray Band 4:06$0.89 Buy Track
listen  2. I Guess I Showed HerThe Robert Cray Band 3:38$0.89 Buy Track
listen  3. Right Next Door (Because Of Me)The Robert Cray Band 4:19$0.89 Buy Track
listen  4. Nothin' But A WomanRobert Cray 3:57$0.89 Buy Track
listen  5. Still AroundThe Robert Cray Band 3:42$0.89 Buy Track
listen  6. More Than I Can StandThe Robert Cray Band 2:57$0.89 Buy Track
listen  7. Foul PlayThe Robert Cray Band 4:06$0.89 Buy Track
listen  8. I WonderThe Robert Cray Band 3:56$0.89 Buy Track
listen  9. FantasizedThe Robert Cray Band 4:03$0.89 Buy Track
listen10. New BloodThe Robert Cray Band 4:20$0.89 Buy Track


Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
Stinging urban blues by way of Texas and Memphis distinguish Robert Cray's major-label debut, which followed three strong independent releases. Here he fleshes out his sound with bursts of brassy Southern soul courtesy of the Memphis Horns, but keeps his pungent, steely guitar solos out front in an engaging dialogue with his plaintive vocals. Released in 1986, Strong Persuader signaled that Cray, as a writer--like his contemporary Stevie Ray Vaughan--had something to say about his interior life beyond the usual bluesman's laments, an approach that pays homage to the music's rich traditions while suggesting new areas of inquiry. --David McGee

From Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD
Cray's commercial breakthrough. The single 'Smokin' Gun" spearheaded yet another blues revival. This album is a strong collection of blues and R&B-based songs steeped in the tradition of Bobby Bland, 0. V. Wright, Stax Records, and guitar stylings of equal parts Steve Cropper and Albert Collins. The songs are thematically linked-all deal with cheating and its ramifications-and give Cray an anguished, contemporary persona. (J.G.) -- © Frank John Hadley 1993

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Customer Reviews

42 Reviews
5 star:
 (28)
4 star:
 (8)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (3)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (42 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars "Smoking Gun" of Talent, May 13, 2003
Robert Cray hits the bulls-eye with this collection of blues, rock and soul. His fast, dexterous guitar is always melodic, never gimmicky, and he leads a tight, no-frills backup band that often manages to sound like a Muscle Shoals studio band of the sixties. Robert's strong, clear voice conveys both rage and humor (sometimes at the same time!) but from the cover picture, you know the humor is the real message. The songs are mainly about love's suspicions and betrayals, most prominently in "Smoking Gun", and his lyrics are always compelling. Every song delivers flawlessly, making it impossible to nitpick or say some songs are better than others. There is nothing innovative or unusual about "Strong Persuader", it's all been done before, but few have done it as well, or managed to sound so distinctive as Robert Cray. This Seattle native has held a steady popularity among his fans and music critics, but despite his amazing singing and playing, his thorough professionalism, and his "marquee good looks", he never broke out into really massive popular appeal. What a shame!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A great collection of music, November 2, 2000
By Martin Lemos "Marty" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
I first heard "Smoking Gun" when I was 16 and was blown away. In the era of hair bands and glam metal, Robert Cray quietly hit the scene and showed how he was alot better than what was big at that time. Funny how he is still making music and most if not all of the hair bands are gone. This disc is from top to finish a great collection of music. We have some serious slow blues like "Right Next Door" and Smoking Gun, and some faster tunes like Nothin' But A Women and I Guess I Showed Her. Not only are we able to see how much knowledge of the blues Robert Cray has, But we also get an insight to his knowledge of classic soul and R&B. This CD is still strong after 14 years and I still am totally into it.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars News from the front, March 10, 2000
By ADP (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
If there is a war between men and women, Robert Cray's songs are like casualty reports straight from the front. The music shows a serious knowledge not merely of blues (although that would be quite enough), but of deeply-rooted gospel and R&B (who cannot love the Wilson Pickett-style horns on "I Guess I Showed Her?"). This is matched well with the personal details Cray adds to his lyrics. In "Foul Play," we can almost hear the protagonist's paranoia and fear. In "I Guess I Showed Her," he glowers triumphantly at dumping an unfaithful spouse, only to reveal his hurt pride at the very end of the song, in the fadeout. In "Right Next Door (Because of Me)," he is a womanizer feeling--one thinks for the first time--pangs of guilt over the seduction of yet another wife. While not a replacement for recordings by the blues greats of old, this is an incredible CD.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars satisfied customer
I have been looking fo this for a long time and I have finally found It.
Published 10 months ago by Brenda Benjamin

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Soul-Blues CD Proves That Great Blues Can Come From Anywhere
STRONG PERSUADER, Oregon bluesman Robert Cray's classic 1986 breakthrough album, is a unique mix of blues and Stax/Volt soul which proves that great blues can come from anywhere,... Read more
Published 15 months ago by The Footpath Cowboy

5.0 out of 5 stars a must have
this absolutely, positively a must have cd for any one who appreciates great music. it is all good.
Published 15 months ago by W. Landis

4.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to Robert Cray and great cross over CD
Robert Cray is one of those singers who is a quintessential crossover artist because he is able to bring a type of music (in this case blues)into the mainstream. Read more
Published 18 months ago by robbieandrose

5.0 out of 5 stars The guitar players' guitar player... shines!
One of the cool features of the Blues is how many types and styles there are. Unfortunately for my wallet, I enjoy just about every form out there. Read more
Published 18 months ago by J. M. Jacobs

5.0 out of 5 stars Robert Cray/CD
The CD came in excellent quality!! I love it!!
Roxann Hill
Gecko Girl
Published 18 months ago by R. Hill

4.0 out of 5 stars Blues, jazz and Rock all rolled into one?
A friend intorduced me to this album a very long time ago and I have wanted to get my own CD for a long time.. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Matthew J. Rock

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE IT
I love this CD. I had bought it on cassette years ago and used to listen to it non-stop. Then my cassette player broke and I didn't listen to it for years. Read more
Published on June 1, 2007 by Maxine

5.0 out of 5 stars The quintessential Cray album
If you were able to buy just one Robert Cray album, this should be it. This was arguably the most commercially successful of his albums. Read more
Published on February 16, 2007 by Timothy J. Drozinski

3.0 out of 5 stars A little disappointing
I have to admit, I am not very familiar with his music, but I heard one of Robert Cray's songs a while back and loved it. However, this CD was a little disappointing. Read more
Published on November 3, 2006 by C. Kanipe

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Strong Persuader opens new browser window by Robert Cray opens new browser window is mainly Blues, with hints of Pop”

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Strong Persuader
78% buy the item featured on this page:
Strong Persuader 4.4 out of 5 stars (42)
$7.97
Definitive Collection
10% buy
Definitive Collection 4.6 out of 5 stars (5)
$10.97
Heavy Picks: The Robert Cray Band Collection
6% buy
Heavy Picks: The Robert Cray Band Collection 4.5 out of 5 stars (19)
$10.97
Some Rainy Morning
3% buy
Some Rainy Morning 4.6 out of 5 stars (11)
$16.98



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