Johnnie Ray was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist who rose to fame in the early 1950s. Dubbed 'The Prince of Wails' and 'The Nabob of Sob,' he was renowned for his unusually emotional and dramatic performance style which often involved crying. His 1951 double-sided hit single, 'Cry' and 'The Little White Cloud That Cried,' sold over two million copies and became a signature song of his career. Often cited as a precursor to rock and roll, his passionate delivery and stage antics influenced many subsequent artists, including Elvis Presley.