Raymond Coats has been entertaining Northern California music fans for four decades with his brand of smooth old-school Soul. Known to his fans as “The Voice,” the San Francisco native has had a storied career in the music business, with a resume that includes an appearance in Michael Jackson’s video “Cry.” His performances are legendary throughout the region. Known for his masterful command of every gig, 40 years of performances have taught the veteran frontman exactly how to read an audience and how to translate their mood into just the right creative direction to his excellent band.
In addition to his thousands of live gigs, Raymond has had an active recording career. With a string of singles that date back nearly twenty years, the masterful singer has entertained fans, worldwide. The 2020’s have been particularly productive for the prolific singer. Since last year he has dropped no less than ten singles, averaging a new song nearly every month. He’s delivered romantic duets like his cover of the James Ingram classic “Just Once” and the feel-good and funky “The Reason I Smile.”
“Tell Me What It Is” is a new single from Raymond Coats, released worldwide to all major streaming services on March 24, 2021. The tune is a classic R&B slow jam with a nice downtempo, jazzy vibe. Raymond’s music is produced and recorded by bassist Tony Saunders at BJW studios. The studio band features Vernon ‘ICE’ Black on guitar, Dante ‘TAZ’ Roberson on drums, Thomas Hughes on piano and Bill Hampton on guitar. The songs are mastered in Los Angeles at Talented Studios by Michael Parlett who also adds a little sax when needed.
Singer Shyla Garcia delivers an excellent performance with perfectly executed and deeply soulful background vocals. At center stage is ‘The Voice’ himself. Raymond Coats sings a silky smooth lead vocal as he tries to understand and reassure his lover. Echoing the communication confusion inherent to romantic love, he sings “Tell me what it is, because I can’t read your mind.” He lets his lady know he’s there for her, offering his love as a cure to the haunting ghosts from her past.
Raymond’s effortless R&B soul and Jazz phrasing comes only from confidence and experience gained from years of performing and recording. This is the sound of professionals at the top of their game. Check out “Tell Me What It Is” below. You can also hear the track on the Deep Indie Beat playlist. Follow the links below the video to connect with Raymond Coats. Get on his socials and get in the loop on all of his live performances and new recordings to come.