Power 96 Cool One Recap: Robert Cray

Back in the early '90s, a former Power 96 jock, Sean Kelly, introduced me to the Robert Cray Band and their biggest hit, "Smoking Gun." Ever since then I've enjoyed his music. So a tip of the hat to Sean, who now lives out east, for the good lead on a great artist and his band.

I figured that "Smoking Gun" would have been too easy to use as a Cool One, but I liked the album it comes from, so I chose a track off his 1986 release, Strong Persuader, called "Right Next Door (Because of me)." This track came in at No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 27 on the U.S. Hot Mainstream Rock Chart. The two other singles from this album were "I Guess I Showed Her" and "Nothin' but a Woman" featuring The Memphis Horns. By the way, the name of the album also stuck as a nickname for Cray.

Check out the Power 96 Cool One today at 4:35 p.m., brought to you by Kelly's Auto Parts in Faribault, when I highlight a Norwegian band that sounds like a cross between Motley Crue and Poison.