- His British rock contemporary Pete Townshend has said that Ray Davies is probably his favorite songwriter of all time.
- In an early stage of The Kinks, before Davies was willing to be the lead singer, they recruited Rod Stewart (who grew up in the same area as the Davies brothers, Muswell Hill) as a singer. After a couple of weeks of trying to be a band, Stewart and the future Kinks found that they did not get along that well, with their musical tastes being too different, and parted ways.
- When The Kinks opened a show on the same bill as The Beatles, The Beatles (in particularly John Lennon) behaved rudely and dismissively towards them. However, when The Kinks released their more introspective album "Face to Face", Lennon was said to have listened to it obsessively.
- "Very Gothic, creepy and silent. Uptight and fearful of everyone." - Marianne Faithfull's description of Davies and The Kinks.
- Despite its heavy guitar sound, he actually wrote "You Really Got Me" on his parent's piano.
- Fathered a child, Natalie Rae Hynde, with Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders while still married to his second wife.
- One of the most admired British songwriters, his songs have been covered by hundreds of artists. Well known versions of his songs include The Jam's "David Watts", The Pretenders' "Stop Your Sobbing", The Stranglers' "All Day and All of the Night", David Bowie's "Where Have All the Good Times Gone" and Van Halen's "You Really Got Me".
- The original name of The Kinks was The Ravens.
- Davies was in many ways unique among the frontmen in British rock bands from the 1960s. He never got into drugs or affiliated himself with "hippie" culture (nor did his band), although The Kinks did present themselves as hard-drinking. Davies was also never a Lothario in the ranks with his contemporaries, and he married at a very young age. By all accounts a quiet, unapproachable type off stage, Davies had a series of nervous breakdowns as a young man, which led to him being hospitalized twice.
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of The Kinks) (1990).
- Sadly, he has barely been on speaking terms with his brother and musical collaborator Dave since they recorded their last album as The Kinks in the early 1990s.
- He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2003 Queen's New Year's Eve Honours List for his services to music.
- In 2003, when a mugger stole his girlfriend's purse, he valiantly chased the man but was then shot in the leg by the thief.
- Has another daughter with dancer, Patricia Crosby: Eva Davies.
- Uncle of writer/producer, Lawrence Kane, who helped Ray recover from his gunshot wound in New Orleans.
- Director Wes Anderson originally intended to have the whole of Rushmore (1998) set to songs by The Kinks. Anderson changed his mind when he wanted to use a series of songs by other bands from the "British Invasion", although he kept the Davies/Kinks song, "Nothin' In This World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'Bout That Girl".
- The Kinks were voted the 64th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artists of all time by Rolling Stone.
- With four to five band members at one time, there have been 11 members of The Kinks, with only Ray and his brother Dave Davies having belonged since the founding of the group. They have gone through two drummers (Mick Avory and Bob Henrit), three keyboardists (John Gosling, Gordon Edwards and Ian Gibbins), and four bass-guitarists (Peter Quaife, John Dalton, Andy Pyle and Jim Rodford).
- Winner of the 2006 Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.
- His song "Waterloo Sunset" won the 2005 Q Classic Song Award.
- The Kinks were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for their outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture (November 16, 2005).
- Is a huge fan of and considers himself in the tradition of William Blake.
- In 1973, Davies attempted suicide by overdose following the breakup of his first marriage. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
- He was born in Muswell Hill, London, England. He and his brother Dave Davies have six older sisters. They resided on Denmark Terrace in Fortis Green, London, England.
- He was awarded the Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to the Arts. He is a musician in London, England.
- Has never been comfortable with fanfare in general and resented being approached for autographs when the Kinks were having initial success on the charts.
- Was living like a hermit in some abandoned building during the 1990s.
- Former classmate of Rod Stewart.
- In late 1962, Davies became increasingly interested in music; at a Hornsey College Christmas dance he sought advice from Alexis Korner who was playing at the dance with Blues Incorporated and Korner introduced him to Giorgio Gomelsky, a promoter and future manager of the Yardbirds.
- Founder and lead vocalist of The Kinks.
- Older brother of Dave Davies.
- The Kinks' single, "See My Friends", was the first British songs (and possibly Western) to integrate a Indian, sitar-like sound. This song and, shortly thereafter, the similarly sitar-based "Fancy" preceded the first Beatles song with an Indian feel, "Norwegian Wood", by a year.
- After the Kinks obtained a recording contract in early 1964, Ray Davies emerged as the chief songwriter and de facto leader of the band.
- Of Welsh and Irish descent.
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