Ray Price (1926–2013) was an influential American country music singer, songwriter, and bandleader, widely regarded as one of the architects of modern country music. Known for his smooth baritone voice and pioneering the “Ray Price shuffle,” he bridged traditional honky‑tonk and the Nashville Sound, shaping the genre for generations of artists. One of his most iconic songs, “Heartaches by the Number,” was released in 1959. Written by legendary songwriter Harlan Howard, the song became a number o