Vocals / Drums
(ASCAP)
I was born in Muskegon, Michigan. My musical career started at the age of 11 playing trombone in school band. At 12 years old I developed an interest in percussion. Using buckets and trash cans with old beat up drum heads taped to them, I began to practice drumming every day. With my brothers, and using this home made contraption, I soon formed my first band, The Streamliners. (Well, we called it a band!)
With a part time job and help from my parents I soon purchased my first drum kit, and I switched to percussion in school band. A string of groups followed, including Destroyer (see article & photo Muskegon Chronicle / December 16, 1983), the Three Clod Hoppers and Something Special, all Muskegon based bands of various styles. In 1984 I joined a Mt. Pleasant, MI college style combo dubbed X Urbia. Our most notable accomplishment was being hired as the studio band for a number of locally produced cable TV shows.
(I also worked in the MHTV studios.)
In 1986 I befriended Big Daddy. We soon pieced together the Blues Persuasion, a precursor to the Big House Blues Band. In the longest lasting collaboration of my life, Big Daddy and I have continued to perform and record music of various styles under the group name Frozen House to this day. In 1993 we pieced together the BootLeg blues band, which is the group that has morphed into the Big House Blues Band.
While continuing work with Big Daddy, I joined the Muskegon based variety band R-Eazy, alternating between bass and percussion. In 1988 I was added to the Tight Fit line up, playing with the group until 1991 and again when the group reformed from 2005-2006. I re joined R-Eazy for a period lasting from 1991-1993 (again alternating between bass and drums).
Today I perform the role of producer and engineer in my demo recording studio/video suite, Vinyl Wall Productions (www.vinylwall.com).
Some of my many influences include: Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Keith Moon (The Who), Eric Carr (Kiss), Stewart Copeland (Police), Ronnie Tutt (Elvis Presley's TCB Band), Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, Robert Cray, Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots and Van Halen.
The Big House Blues Band is the culmination of almost 20 years worth of experimentation and refinement on the part of Big Daddy and myself. We are both proud of this group and excited at the possibilities this project has presented to us. We look forward to bringing our blues experience to you.
If you'd like to learn more about Jimi Ray, visit his page on the Musicians-Home website: View my page on Musicians Home
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