# Ray Manzarek of The Doors has died at age 74 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 20, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870 "2013-05-20T21:10:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870/41 "2013-05-21T20:26:01Z")
Ray married Dorothy Fujikawa in Los Angeles on December 21, 1967 and they were still married when he died. Almost 46 years! That has to be close to a record for a rock marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870/42 "2013-05-21T20:31:46Z")
It’s kinda funny that I didn’t purchase any real rock albums until I got to Vietnam, probably because I didn’t really have any disposable income up until then. In the Marine PX I found The Doors, Are You Experienced, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Surrealistic Pillow, and Disraeli Gears, among others. What an awakening that all was. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870/43 "2013-05-21T22:22:22Z")
The music is over. Turn out the lights. I agree that The Doors were really always Ray’s band. He created the band as a showcase for Jim, but it was Ray who both made it happen and created the distinctive sound. I saw The Doors at the Isle of Wight in 1970 (although I was so far from the stage that I could scarcely appreciate them, despite already being a big fan). Shit, I feel old now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Dope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc8723/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Dope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Dope)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870/44 "2013-05-21T23:07:01Z")
Yes, he did die. He had bile duct cancer that I know of, but it didn’t say whether this was the cause. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870/45 "2013-05-22T17:38:43Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > he broke on through. > [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > This is the end… > [@njtt](#): > > The music is over. Turn out the lights. And let’s not forget how we loved him madly. 😃 I appreciate The Doors as do all of you; they never seemed “uncool” to me. And I always acknowledged Manzarek’s contributions to the sound. What I am most astounded by now, though, is that he was 70-freakin’-4 years old. Has it really been that long since I first heard “Hello, I Love You” on Dad’s station wagon’s AM radio as we were driving to a picnic in the late '60’s? I really do remember it as if it were yesterday. mmm ETA: When Dylan’s time comes, I call dibs on Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870/46 "2013-05-22T17:45:48Z")
For anyone interested, I heard yesterday that the Fresh Air interview with Ray sitting at a piano will be broadcast on Friday at whatever time your NPR station usually plays Fresh Air. I’m pretty sure that anyone who enjoyed the Doors will enjoy the interview. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870/47 "2013-05-22T21:28:50Z")
RIP Ray. Now I’m so glad I got to see him live in Riders on the Storm. I don’t care that it wasn’t The Doors, it was a great gig! ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870/48 "2013-05-22T21:42:36Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > And let’s not forget how we loved him madly. 😃 > > I appreciate The Doors as do all of you; they never seemed “uncool” to me. And I always acknowledged Manzarek’s contributions to the sound. > > What I am most astounded by now, though, is that he was 70-freakin’-4 years old. Has it really been that long since I first heard “Hello, I Love You” on Dad’s station wagon’s AM radio as we were driving to a picnic in the late '60’s? > > I really do remember it as if it were yesterday. > mmm > > ETA: When Dylan’s time comes, I call dibs on Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. I think Warren Zevon made the best use of _that_ little ditty… ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870/49 "2013-05-23T02:15:18Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > I think Warren Zevon made the best use of _that_ little ditty… Yep. He also had “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”. [mmm gets an idea for a new thread] mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870/50 "2013-06-03T00:13:01Z")
I just found this video of Ray laying down his organ part on Weird Al’s “Craigslist”: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Ra5x88C0yQY/maxresdefault.jpg "Ray Manzarek plays "Weird Al" Yankovic's "Craigslist"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra5x88C0yQY) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870/51 "2013-06-03T01:54:18Z")
Thanks for that. He seemed like a great guy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-manzarek-of-the-doors-has-died-at-age-74/658870.md?page=2)