ROBERT CRAYS SANCTUARY RECORDS DEBUT, TIME WILL TELL, VENTURES INTO BOLD NEW TERRAIN

Sly & the Family Stone Horns, Turtle Island String Quartet, Luis Conte Are Guests Cray and Band Member Jim Pugh Co-Produce

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2003

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Five-time Grammy Award winning recording artist Robert Cray has signed with Sanctuary Records and is putting finishing touches on his adventurous new album titled Time Will Tell which is set for July 1 street date.

In addition to a new label for Cray, Time Will Tell marks a musical turning point for the artist as well. Long acclaimed for his prowess in the idioms of blues and Southern soul, Cray seizes this opportunity to explore some compelling alternate routes on the musical map.

The new direction takes its cue from several factors. First, Time Will Tell marks the first co-production by himself with long time Cray Band keyboardist Jim Pugh. In a rare change of pace, Crays touring band is augmented by featured guest musicians including Sly & the Family Stones Cynthia Robinson and Jerry Martini on trumpet and sax respectively on "Your Pal", plus the Turtle Island String Quartet (heard on "Up In The Sky" and "Time Makes Two.") Luis Conte (Eric Clapton, James Taylor, Arturo Sandoval) contributes percussion. The album was engineered and mixed by Mark Needham (Fleetwood Mac, Michelle Branch, Chris Isaak, Cake.)

Cray also recorded for the first time with an electric sitar ("Up In The Sky.") And while his lyrics have heretofore focused on personal relationships, and continue to do so, Cray for the first time speaks his mind politically with powerful anti-war messages in "Survivor" and "Distant Shore."

According to Cray, "We went outside of what people might perceive as our boundaries. Jim Pugh and myself both had a lot of ideas, and we really cut loose. It might be different for us, but it all flowed naturally. Personally, I feel its one of the best things weve done. And I hope our fans agree when they hear the record."

A full list of tour dates follows:

June 26      BOISE, ID          Boise River Festival
June 27      PORTLAND, OR       Crystal Ballroom
June 28      JACKSON, OR       Britt Festivals
June 29      GUERNEVILLE, CA      Russian River Blues Festival
July 5         REDMOND, WA      Marymoor Amphitheater (w/ Etta
James and Susan Tedeschi)
July 11         SANTA YNEZ, CA       Gainey Vineyards
July 12         EUREKA, CA         Blues By the Bay
July 19         GRASS VALLEY, CA      California WorldFest
July 25         STERLING HEIGHTS, MI   Freedom Hill Ampitheatre
July 26         PITTSBURGH, PA       Chevrolet Ampitheatre*
July 29         HAMPTON BEACH, NH   Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom*
July 31         HYANNIS, MA         Cape Cod Melody Tent*
August 1      WESTBURY, NY      Westbury Music Fair*
August 2      PHILADELPHIA, PA      Mann Center**
August 3      COHASSETT, MA      South Shore Music Circus*
August 5      BALTIMORE, MD      Pier Six*
August 6      PORTMOUTH, VA      Harbor Center*
August 15      WARREN, VT         Vermont Festival of the Arts
August 30      BRIDGEPORT, CT      Bridgeport Blues Festival
September 5      HIGHLAND PARK, IL    Ravinia Festival*
September 6      APPLE VALLEY, MN    Minneapolis Zoo Amphitheatre*
September 27      LAS VEGAS, NV       The Joint*
September 28      LOS ANGELES, CA       Greek Theatre**
September 29      SAN DIEGO, CA       Humphreys*
September 30      SAN DIEGO, CA       Humphreys*
October 3      SARATOGA, CA       The Mountain Winery*
October 4      SARATOGA, CA       The Mountain Winery*
October 5      W. SACRAMENTO, CA    Raley Field**

*Co-Bill with John Hiatt
**Co-bill with John Hiatt with guests Blind Boys of Alabama

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For media information on The Robert Cray Band, contact The Baker/Northrop Media Group

http://www.rosebudus.com
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