Timeline

1948   Studied tap dancing and singing for ten years with Pauline Leathem
1961   First television appearance CHTV3 Time Out for Talent (with Dinah Lee).
1962   Hosted TV series Club Columbus which screened nationwide.
1962   Ray Columbus & the Invaders visited Auckland and ‘took it by storm’.
1963   Ray Columbus & the Invaders contracted to move to Auckland by (Phil Warren's) Prestige Promotions.
1963   Signed to Zodiac records.
1964   She's A Mod first NZ single to top an overseas chart (in Australia) after 3 other singles had made the Top 40.
1964   Ray Columbus & the Invaders’ first NZ #1 single She's a Mod.
1964   Toured Australia with Starlift '64 (The Searchers, Del Shannon, Peter & Gordon and Dinah Lee).
1964   Headlined own tour of Australia (double bill) with Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs.
1965   52 concert tour of Australia and NZ called Big Beat 65 starring the Rolling Stones, Roy Orbison, The Newbeats           and Ray Columbus & the Invaders.
1965   Till We Kissed top selling single in NZ.
1965   Winner of first Loxene Golden Disc Award (with The Invaders), Single of the Year for Till We Kissed.
1965   Ray Columbus & the Invaders tour NZ in support of Dave Clark Five.
1966   Toured Australia & New Zealand with Tom Jones & Herman's Hermits.
1966   Moved to San Francisco, California under management contract.
1966   Won APRA Silver Scroll (Best Popular Composition in NZ) for I Need You.
1967   Played in concert with The Turtles at Donovan's Reef in San Francisco.
1967   Played in concert at the San Francisco Auditorium with Eric Burdon & the New Animals.
1968   Returned to NZ to star in TV series Cmon '68 -Producer Kevin Moore (led to hundreds of TV shows: Girls To           Watch Music By, Studio One, Personality Squares, Free Ride et al.
1970   Super Pop 70 Royal Command performance before Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
1971   APRA award for most successful NZ composition People Are People (Shade.Smith/R.Columbus) on Record.
1971   Co-opted to APRA Music Committee in NZ.
1973   APRA Silver Scroll for Jangles, Spangles & Banners (with Mike Harvey).
1973   Presented with The BENNY... Variety Artist Convention (from peers).
1974   MC and top of the bill performance at the Christchurch Town Hall before the entire Royal Family and           then-Prime Minister Norman Kirk and his wife.
1974   Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for Services to New Zealand - a first in The British Commonwealth and           Rock n Roll.
1974   Entertainer of the Year from NEBOA - (NZ Entertainment & Ballroom Operators).
1974   Appointed to board of QE11 Arts Council of New Zealand and later Chairman of Projects Committee.
1983   Auckland performance before the Queen and the royal family.
1983   Elected as New Zealand Writer/Director to the APRA board.
1990   Second royal honour: Queen’s Commemoration Medal (CM) for Services to New Zealand.
2000   NEOA promoter/manager of the year for promotion of NZ entertainment industry.
2006   Best of the Best sold-out nationwide NZ tour with Johnny Devlin, Shane, Larry Morris, Sharon O’Neil, Tom           Sharplin and the Tornadoes.
2002   Toured Australia (Ray’s 5th tour of Australia) with the Long Way to the Top Tour alongside 27 others stars that           achieved 40 #1 Australian hit’s of which two were Ray’s. Long Way to the Top was a six week tour of           18 Arena Shows attended by 220,000 people).
2007   Inducted, with the Invaders, into ROCKONZ Hall Of Fame in Christchurch with Max Merritt and Dinah Lee.
2007   Mayor of (hometown) Christchurch: Garry Moore Presented Key to The City to Ray, Max and Dinah.
2007   Contracted by Vector Arena in the ensemble all-star cast: Sir Howard Morrison, Hollie Smith, Don           McGlashan, Dinah Lee and many others for their official opening.

To be continued....