Major Bill was waiting for singer Amos Milburn Jr., who failed to show up, and that meant he had five musicians standing around for $5 apiece. Finally, someone said that there were a couple of kids hanging around the office that would like the Major to hear some of their songs. With nothing to lose, Ray and Jill were granted an interview right then and there. Major Bill said, "Let's hear what ya got, son" and Ray began to strum the guitar and sing "Hey Hey Paula". "Okay boy, let's stop Heyin' and start recordin'", said the Major. Musicians on the recording included Marvin Montgomery on guitar, Guy Parnell on bass, Hargus Robbins on organ, Little Caesar on piano, and Ronnie Dawson on drums. When the session was over, the Major asked "What do you call yourselves"? "Jill and Ray" came the answer, and that's what was printed on the record label.
Major Bill Smith knew he had something good and began to pitch the record to Ewart Abner, of Vee Jay Records, who turned it down in favor of another artist's tune that Smith had with him. Not one to be discouraged easily, Major Bill decided to release the record himself and pressed it on Election Day, 1962. Radio station KFJZ was the first to add it to their play list. "Hey Paula" sold sixteen thousand records in one day and it didn't take long for Shelby Singleton of Mercury Records to call the Major, wanting to buy the master tape. "One other thing", said Singleton. "This is 'Hey Paula', by Jill and Ray... that doesn't make any sense at all. We're gonna change it to Paul And Paula". At first, Jill and Ray didn't like that idea, because everyone in Texas knew them by their real names, but with a little persuading, they got used to it. Mercury Records released the disc on their subsidiary label, Phillips. It broke nationally right after Christmas, 1962, and spent nearly three weeks in February at number one. Incredibly, it also hit number one on the R&B charts too. In all, "Hey Paula" spent twelve weeks on the Billboard Top 40, selling nearly two million copies and earning a Gold Record.
Soon after, Jill and Ray got married... but not to each other. Jill married the duo's manager. The pair toured the country with Dick Clark's Caravan Of Stars and reached #6 in the Spring of 1963 with "Young Lovers". A third release, "First Quarrel" made it to #27 later the same year. By 1965 however, Ray had grown tired of life on the road and decided he'd had enough. Paul and Paula officially split up.
Ray found work as a song writer and record producer. Jill continued as a solo performer in and around Texas for many years and later married an attorney from California. Jill and Ray met up with each other again in Brownwood, Texas in the early '80s and sang together once more, at a town party.
In early 1983, Ray Hildebrand teamed up with singer / guitarist Paul Land for a night of music and fun at a local Christian coffee house. Their performance as a duo that night made them both aware of their musical strength and versatility together. The pair billed themselves as Land & Hildebrand, traveling all over the world with a show commonly called The Christian Smothers Brothers, and performed and recorded a series of Gospel music albums through the '80s, '90s and into the new millennium. In 2002, Hildebrand and Jackson returned to Howard Payne College to be the homecoming guests of honor and Grand Marshalls. Ray and Jill also got back together occasionally to record and perform as Paul and Paula and were still appearing at oldies shows in 2012. After leaving Land & Hildebrand, Ray continued to speak and sing at churches, prisons, prayer breakfasts and various other occasions. In 2013, he released his autobiography, The Hey Paula Story.
Ray Hildebrand passed away at his home in Kansas City on August 18th, 2023 at the age of 82.
Be Sure To Read Gary James' Interview With Ray Hildebrand