March 16, 2017: The Kinks’ Ray Davies Gets Knighted

Share This:

Photo via the British Press Association

He’s a well-respected man now! In a ceremony on March 16, 2017, Ray Davies, then 72-years-old and co-founder of the British Invasion greats The Kinks, was knighted in a ceremony presided by Prince Charles.

The original announcement of the honor came with the Queen’s New Year Honours. Reacting to the designation, bestowed upon him by Queen Elizabeth II for his service to the arts, Sir Ray—as he is now officially titled—said, in a statement to the press, “Initially I felt a mixture of surprise, humility, joy and a bit embarrassed. But after thinking about it, I accept this for my family and fans as well as everyone who’s inspired me to write.”

The knighthood came 13 years after the Queen awarded him the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2004.

Davies, born June 21, 1944, was the Kinks’ chief songwriter, lead singer and rhythm guitarist. He co-founded the group in 1963 with his brother, lead guitarist and vocalist Dave Davies, bassist Pete Quaife and drummer Mick Avory. They broke up in 1996.

In the U.K. the Kinks earned 14 Top 10 singles, starting in 1964 with the #1 hit “You Really Got Me.” They scored two other #1’s: “Tired of Waiting For You” and “Sunny Afternoon.” Their other biggest hits include “All Day and All of the Night,” “Dedicated Follower of Fashion,” “Waterloo Sunset” and “Lola.” In the U.S., they had five Top 10 singles.

In December 2015 rumors of a Kinks reunion were fueled when Ray joined his brother on stage during a gig at Islington Assembly Hall.

Davies’ first new album in over nine years – Americana – was released in 2017. The 15-track collection of originals was inspired by his years touring the U.S. with the Kinks, beginning with the British Invasion years of the mid-60s. A follow-up was released in 2018.

The Kinks are commemorating their 60th anniversary with a two-year celebration, beginning with a pair of career-defining anthologies, The Journey – Part 1 and Part 2, handpicked by the Davies brothers and Avory, that arrived in 2023. They’re available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.