His birth name was James Dixon, and he was born in Somerville, Texas, United States. He spent the latter part of his life performing and busking folk, blues and gospel music at Chicago's Maxwell Street flea market and at rapid-transit depots.
Gray's only album, 1973's The Singing Drifter was reissued on the (Conjuroo) Conqueroo record label in 2005. The re-issue producer was Cary Baker, who wrote the liner notes for the original Birch Records vinyl LP.
Gray died in Chicago, Illinois in September 1980, at the age of 74An excerpt from a tribute to Chicago Blues by Jim Morrissette, Raul Zaritsky, and Linda Williams. Features a performance by Blind Arvella Gray, a 72-year-old blues musician at Chicago's Maxwell Street Market.
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