Influenced by the Rock 'N Roll guitar of Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple) and the honky tonk guitar style of Roy Nichols (Merle Haggard), Ray has contributed his own electric sound to numerous recording sessions in Nashville with artists such as Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs, Kathy Mattea, Patty Loveless, Janie Frickie, Emmylou Harris and Travis Tritt to name a few. A huge compliment followed when one of Ray's heroes, Chet Atkins, recorded one of Ray's self-penned tunes, Tahitian Skies, first with Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits and then again with the Irish band, The Chieftains. In 1989 Ray recorded his own instrumental album, Untitled Island.Despite his success behind the electric guitar, Ray's current aspirations lie in the acoustic realm. Chet Atkins said it best - "Ray is a very aggressive, energetic player, and I think it's a big plus to have him here in Nashville." Review by Andy Ellis. April 2004 issue of Guitar Player. Ray Flacke Songs Without Words "Songs Without Words proves you can be one of the planet's most ferocious Tele-wielding chicken pickers, yet know how to coax gorgeous polyphony from a Guild D-60 flat-top. If you've heard Flacke's stuttering, flashy licks behind Emmylou Harris, Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs, or Travis Tritt, you'll be surprised and delighted by the melodic nature of these ten instrumentals. Meditative but never meandering, introspective yet cleverly arranged, this music melds elements of renaissance lute and baroque guitar with traditional folk fingerpicking. The relatively dry, present recording lets Flacke's beautiful articulation, burly steel-string tone, and sly pre-bends and releases take center stage."