Nato in Oregon, ha ottenuto successo nel 1951 con i brani Cry e The Little White Cloud That Cried. In particolare Cry, cantata con il gruppo di coristi Four Lads, è rimasta al vertice della classifica per undici settimane. Ray da adolescente rimase parzialmente sordo.
Ha spesso duettato nella prima metà degli anni '50 con Doris Day. Tra le altre sue interpretazioni più conosciute vi sono Walkin' My Baby Back Home, Please Mr. Sun, Here Am I-Broken Hearted, Somebody Stole My Gal, Just Walkin' in the Rain e Yes Tonight Josephine, tutte pubblicate negli anni '50.
Appare nel film Follie dell'anno (1954). Inoltre ha preso parte a diverse produzioni televisive tra cui The Ed Sullivan Show e The Jackie Gleason Show.
1958 – Johnnie Ray's Greatest Hits (Columbia Records, CL 1227) ripubblicato nel 1971 con il titolo di The Best of Johnnie Ray (Harmony Records, H 30609)
1959 – On the Trail (Columbia Records, CL 1385/CS 8180)
1959 – A Sinner Am I (Philips Records, BBL 7348) pubblicato in UK
1962 – Johnnie Ray (Liberty Records, LRP-3221/LST-7221) ripubblicato nel 1966 con il titolo di Mr. Cry (Sunset Records, SUS-5125)
Singoli
1951 – Whiskey and Gin / Tell the Lady I Said Goodbye (Okeh Records, 6809) a nome Johnnie Ray with Maurice King and His Wolverines
1951 – The Little White Cloud That Cried / Cry (Okeh Records, 6840) a nome Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads with Orchestral Acc.
1952 – Please Mr. Sun / Here Am I - Broken Hearted (Columbia Records, 39636)
1952 – Because of You / Cry (Columbia Records, 39659) Because of You di Tony Bennett
1952 – What's the Use? / Mountains in Moonlight (Columbia Records, 39698)
1952 – Coffee and Cigarettes / Don't Blame Me (Columbia Records, 39700)
1952 – Don't Take Your Love from Me / The Lady Drinks Champagne (Columbia Records, 39702)
1952 – All of Me / Give Me Time (Columbia Records, 39703)
1952 – What's the Use? / A Guy Is a Guy (Columbia Records, 39729) A Guy Is a Guy di Doris Day
1952 – Walkin' My Baby Back Home / Give Me Time (Columbia Records, 39750)
1952 – All of Me / A Sinner Am I (Columbia Records, 39788)
1952 – Gee But I'm Lonesome / Don't Say Love Has Ended (Columbia Records, 39814)
1952 – Love Me (Baby Can't You Love Me) / Faith Can Move Mountains (Columbia Records, 39837)
1952 – The Thing I Might Have Been / The Commandments of Love (Columbia Records, 39897)
1952 – A Touch of God's Hand / I'm Gonna Walk and Talk with the Lord (Columbia Records, 39908)
1953 – Mr. Midnight / Oh, What a Sad, Sad Day (Columbia Records, 39939) a nome Johnnie Ray with Paul Weston & His Orchestra/Johnnie Ray with The Four Lads & The Buddy Cole Quartet
1953 – Somebody Stole My Gal / Glad Rag Doll (Columbia Records, 39961)
1953 – Satisfied / With These Hands (Columbia Records, 40006) a nome Johnnie Ray with The Buddy Cole Quartet
1953 – All I Do Is Dream of You / Tell the Lady I Said Goodbye (Columbia Records, 40046)
1953 – Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone / An Orchid for the Lady (Columbia Records, 40090)
1954 – Why Should I Be Sorry? / You'd Be Surprised (Columbia Records, 40154)
1954 – Such a Night / Destiny (Columbia Records, 40220)