Ray is retired and living in Boise, Idaho. He has had a burning desire to play music most of his life, and has accomplished that goal many times over. Ray has played rhythm guitar in C&W bands, lead banjo in small combos, rhythm banjo in Dixieland bands, and has led a few of his own ensembles. He has also dabbled in mandolin backup for a bluegrass group in Virginia, and a failed miserably with his fiddle in a grass roots dance band. But, he keeps going, and going, and going -- like the Eveready battery bunny.Ray's musical history has been guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, ukulele, and anything else he could get his hands on. Since his early retirement in 1992, he has been concentrating on banjo, plectrum guitar, and tenor ukulele; all primarily in the swing era genre of pop music with a jazz bent. Ray has included some examples of his jazz uke solos for your enjoyment in the 'radio' below:
(note - the volume is weak, sorry)
There are 6 tunes here...they will play randomly, or you may scroll thru them using the arrows ||.Jane is Ray's wonderful and beautiful wife. They have two daughters and a son - all grown and out of the house, thank God. All three are the joy of their lives, each with a different personality and interest in life. They are the kind of people that any parent would be proud to call their own. How did Ray & Jane get so lucky!?!?Jane is teaching nursing and Boise State University, and Ray is playing music around southern Idaho. Ray has a name for his band - Desert Swing. His band ranges from solo to duos to trios, and everything that comes together to form a band. Ray has had a dozen players at times, most of them 4-string jazz banjoists. The bottom line is that Desert Swing, whatever the instrumentation, does what it can when it can to have fun and play some listenable music.If you are ever in Boise Idaho, stop by Satchel's Grill at 8th and Bannock (downtown) and ask for Ray. Someone there will know where he might be found.
