The Ray Ludwig Band

Ramon (Ray) Ludwig grew up in a family of classically trained piano players and developed an early love affair with music. Ray started playing guitar at the age of 12. He spent countless hours learning note for note the guitar solos of the Allman Brothers Band and Eric Clapton by slowing down 33 RPM records to 16 RPM. Ray started playing professionally and writing original music at the age of 15, and at age 17 played guitar in a band that opened for the Allman Brothers. After high school Ray attended Florida State University(FSU) and was a music major for one year studying classical guitar, music theory and piano.While at FSU, Ray learned how to play bluegrass banjo and immersed himself in bluegrass and acoustic music, also learning some mandolin, fiddle and pedal steel guitar. Ray got an offer to join a hot cover band and go on the road. He spent the next 3 years performing 5 or 6 nights a week and traveling the Southeast United States from Texas to North Carolina. During that time, some of the highlights include opening for Neil Sedaka, playing for then-presidential nominee Jimmy Carter and playing for over 10,000 at the Sarasota, FL July 4th celebration. After three years on the road, Ray taught guitar and bluegrass banjo for 3 years and studied jazz guitar and music theory with Dave Gould and Mo Friend.Ray gave up playing professionally for the next 20 years after he got married, raised 2 children and pursued a lengthy insurance career with a Fortune 500 Company that required long work days. After a divorce, both children moving out of the household, and a career change, Ray finally returned to playing professionally.In addition to being heavily influenced by the melodic styles of Duane Allman, Dicky Betz and Eric Clapton, Ray's major guitar influences include Jimmy Page, Richie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Carlos Santana, Gary Moore, Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Benson, and Eric Johnson.In addition to working on a CD of all original music, Ray currently plays in a R & B cover band called Night Breeze; check out www.nightbreezeband.com.