Ray Hildebrand, One-Half of Paul & Paula Duo, Dies at 82: An Obituary

death – Obituary News : Ray Hildebrand, one of the members of the popular 1960s pop duo Paul & Paula, has sadly passed away at the age of 82 in Kansas City on Friday. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.

Hildebrand, along with his musical partner Jill Jackson, achieved great success in 1963 with their breakout hit song “Hey Paula.” The song, written by Hildebrand himself, reached No. 1 on both the Hot 100 and Hot R&B Singles charts in February of the following year. It was a massive hit for the duo and catapulted them to stardom.

However, their success was short-lived. Despite all four of their songs entering the Hot 100 in 1963, their second hit, “Young Lovers,” was the only other song to reach the top 10, peaking at No. 6. In just eight months, they released three albums, but their chart-topping success quickly faded.

It is worth noting that Jackson and Hildebrand were musical partners and not romantically involved. Jackson was related to the owner of the boarding house where Hildebrand lived during his college years. Although they went their separate ways in 1965, they continued to release singles sporadically until 1970 and occasionally reunited for oldies shows and special events well into the 21st century.

Following the decline of their pop music career, Hildebrand shifted his focus towards contemporary Christian music. In 1967, he released his album “He’s Everything to Me,” which was followed by singles such as “Say I Do” and “Anybody Here Wanna Live Forever?” In the 1980s, he formed a Christian comedy duo called Land & Hildebrand with Paul Land.

Hildebrand, born in Joshua, Texas, in 1940, initially met Jackson while studying at Howard Payne College. They named themselves Ray & Jill but changed their name to Paul & Paula after the success of “Hey Paula,” which was inspired by a friend’s fiancée named Paula. The song’s popularity led to their inclusion in Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars tour.

Despite their hit song, the complete catalog of Paul & Paula has not been fully explored. Their three albums, “Paul & Paula Sing for Young Lovers,” “We’ll Go Together,” and the exceptional Christmas album “Holiday for Teens,” have not been officially released on CD in the United States.

In a heartwarming reunion in 2012, Hildebrand and Jackson performed “Hey Paula” at Howard Payne University, formerly known as their alma mater. The performance was a nostalgic moment for both the duo and their fans.

Throughout his life, Hildebrand remained committed to his Christian faith. He transitioned into gospel music, citing his disillusionment with the pursuit of fame and financial success. Despite the popularity of his album, he realized that his royalties were dwindling, leading him to question the purpose of his career in dirty and often profane comedy. Hildebrand turned to the Bible during this period of introspection, rekindling his faith and deepening his spiritual beliefs.

Ray Hildebrand is fondly remembered by his loved ones. He was previously married to Judy Hendricks in 1964, who passed away before him. He is survived by his daughter, Heidi Sterling, and son, Mike Hildebrand.

The music industry has lost a talented artist with the passing of Ray Hildebrand. His contributions to the pop music scene of the 1960s, as one half of Paul & Paula, will always be remembered. May he rest in peace..