Barbara Ray McKenzie Brown was born in Dalmellington, Scotland, as one

of ten children. Six brothers and four sisters. Barbara's singing career

started in her hometown, when, aged 16, she sang with a band:

Joe Duffy and the Squads. While still a pupil at Dalmellington High School,

friends dared her at a local dance hall to go up and ask to sing with the

established group Tommy Trousdale and the Sundowners.

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She sang the song I've Told Every Little Star and was an instant hit.

Tommy invited her back the next day and so she signed her first contract

as vocalist with his band. A stint on television followed and she was soon

the singing star of the band, performing at many venues in Scotland and

Britain.

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Tommy's band was voted Scotland's top semi-professional group and soon became one of Britain's top pop groups sharing the stage with, among others, Freddie and the Dreamers, Billy Fury and Mr Acker Bilk.

It was in Dalmellington that her South African husband-to-be, commercial artist and professional photographer, Jack Fenix, met her, while on a working holiday there in 1964. On leap year's day, 29th February 1964, Barbara and Jack were married and "Babs" as she was affectionately known, quit the band. The couple emigrated to South Africa in 1965 and settled in Brakpan. Barbara entered a major talent contest and won. She started singing with various bands as Barbara Fenix, doing gigs around the country at various resorts, hotels and dance-halls. Venues included the Rainbow Resort outside Johannesburg, the Finch Nest at the Veld and Vlei Hotel in Springs, Robinson Lake and Hennops Pride. Her break came, however, when she went to a popular local resort, Bapsfontein, to watch a show there. Friends egged her on to go up and sing. Compere Al Willox heard her singing and offered her a singing job which Barbara accepted on a part-time basis. She sang with Al and his band at the Hotel Germiston but kept her daytime job as a clerk for a fashion house.

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Jody Wayne heard Barbara singing and offered to help her in getting a recording contract with a recording company. He convinced her that her voice was more suited to Country & Western music than the Pop and Dixieland that she was accustomed to. A successful audition at Teal followed and in August 1970 Barbara recorded a single Like I Do with the 5th Association, a band that had been backing her at some of her gigs.Her recording success was immediate - Like I Do entered Springbok Radio's Top 20 hit parade, peaking at #4 in October and reaching #9 on the LM hit parade in the same month. Barbara Ray had arrived. Her first album entitled Like I Do was released. The single became a double-sided hit when the "B" side, Where the Gypsies Play, reached #7 on LM's hit parade. Her achievements for the year were crowned in December when she was voted Top South African Female Singer on LM Radio in its 1970 hit parade finals.Barbara's popularity increased and she was billed with Jody Wayne, John Edmond, Cornelia and other artists, appearing at venues such as The Wedgewood Room, Joubert Park Theatre, Hotel Germiston and Bapsfontein Hotel.

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