Ray T. Peterson, born April 23, 1939 in Denton, Texas, was an American pop music singer. He spent much of his childhood recovering from polio, and during an extended stay in a nearby treatment facility, he began performing for his fellow patients. As Peterson's health returned he started singing professionally in local clubs, where he enjoyed an avid fan base. However, eventually he relocated to Los Angeles where he was discovered by manager Stan Shulman.

Blessed with a four-octave singing voice, Shulman signed him to a recording contract with RCA Victor Records in 1958. His early material ran the gamut from teen ballads like, "Let's Try Romance," to a cover of Little Willie John's, "Fever." All meeting with little success.

Then, in 1959, his song, "The Wonder of You," made it into the Top 30 in both the U.S. and the U.K., and would later be recorded by Elvis Presley, with whom Peterson became friends.