Robbie Rae found infamy early in his singing career in his home of Wales where he recorded a version of "The Lord's Prayer" in Welsh and subsequently was banned by the BBC because it was deemed blasphemous. While in England, he met Cherrill Yates (ex-The Comic Opera) from St. Thomas, Ontario.
After moving to Canada, he and Yates married and moved to her hometown. The duo signed a deal with A & M Records as an adult pop act in 1976 but failed to make any inroads with their first few singles "Don't Shut Me Out" and "Oh Me, Oh My".
After turning a version of Doris Day's 1956 hit "Que Sera Sera" into a disco dance track in 1977 the duo managed to chart. The label was encouraged enough to have the act record their self-titled debut album in 1978 which was produced mainly by Harry Hinde with several tracks produced by Cliff Edwards (ex-The Bells).
Their second album 'Dancing Up A Storm', also produced by Harry Hinde, followed immediately in 1979 and a remixed 12" single of "A Little Lovin" (Keeps The Doctor Away)" was issued. The catchy, bubbly song shot up the charts immediately. It went to No.5 on Billboard's Club Play list but only peaked at No.61 on the Pop chart. The song failed to make hit status because of a typographical error in Billboard magazine which showed the record sliding down the charts after a promising start and A & M pulled all promotion on the record. However, they took another chance with a second 12" single, "I Only Wanna Get Up And Dance," but it only managed to reach No. 47 on the Club Play lists before disappearing.
In Canada The Raes were nominated for two Juno Awards and they became hosts of a CTV's variety show. They were then offered a chance at a firm 5-year TV contract of their own -- which they turned down after A & M execs felt it would effect sales. But the writing was already on the wall as their third album, "Two Hearts", wasn't even optioned for release in the US.
With no label support and declining popularity Cherrill and Robbie's personal lives took the strain and the duo divorced in the early 1980s.
Following the demise of the duo he tried to make a go of it solo on Quality Records in 1983 with a song called "Finger On It" which the label hailed as a new direction for Rae - the B-side, "Rachel", was written by future Refugee exponent Myles Hunter.
However, the following year he found himself on Mel Shaw's Music World Creation touting another Hunter tune, "Hold On To The Night", also to no effect.
In 1989 he teamed up with Saga members Jim Gilmour and Steve Negus under the pseudonym Robert Bevan in GNP who released one album for Virgin Records. Recent years have seen him maintain a steady gig in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) entertaining American troops stationed in Saudi Arabia.
In October 1999, Rae moved to Thailand (Kamala Beach - Phuket) in where he invested in his own outdoor bar as well as singing in Patong with a new band. On December 26, 2004 Rae went missing as one of many victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster when Phuket was devestated by flooding. He was located a short time later safe and sound and resumed work at the Tai Pan Club. However, on February 9, 2006 Rae succumbed to liver and kidney failure in Phuket Hospital. He was 52 years old.
Singles
1983 Finger On It (Something About You Girl I Like)/Rachel (Quality)
1984 Hold On To The Night/Hold On To The Night (Music World Creations)
with THE RAES
1976 Don't Shut Me Out (A & M) AM-420
1976 Oh Me, Oh My (A & M) AM-423
1977 Que Sera Sera/Are You The Boy? (A & M) AM-446
1977 All Kinds Of People/To Love Somebody (A & M) AM-455
1977 Cara Mia [stereo]/Cara Mia [mono] (A & M) AM-457
1978 A Little Lovin' (Keeps The Doctor Away) [Disco Version]/A Little Lovin' (Keeps The Doctor Away) [Radio Version] [12"] (A & M) SP-12009
1978 A Little Lovin' (Keeps The Doctor Away)/To Love Somebody (A & M) AM-466
1979 (I Only Wanna) Get Up And Dance/When I'm Dead And Gone (A & M) AM-472
1979 (I Only Wanna) Get Up And Dance/ [12"] (A & M) AM-17069
1979 Don't Turn Around/School [12"] (A & M) SP-20048
1979 Don't Turn Around/Gonna Burn My Boogie Shoes [12"] (A & M) SP-20097
1979 Don't Turn Around/Gonna Burn My Boogie Shoes [7"] (A & M) AM-2160
1980 Two Hearts/Kiss And Tell (A & M) AM-493
Albums
with THE RAES
1978 The Raes (A & M) SP-9030
1979 Dancin' Up A Storm (A & M) SP-4754
1980 Two Hearts (A & M) SP-9039
with GNP
1989 Safety Zone (Virgin)
Video
Compilation Tracks
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