Brian Ray: A Lifetime in Rock and Roll
From Etta James to Paul McCartney, the Guitarist’s Journey Through Rock’s Golden Age
I heard the name Brian Ray around a decade ago when it popped up on a friend’s Facebook feed. Jay Gilbert had been in the music industry in LA for years and had recently launched a new company to work with artists to promote artists. As I recall, Brian Ray played guitar, had some music out, and had played with Etta James for years.
Cool. Guitar player. Etta James. And so on. I thought, what the hell, and sent Brian a Facebook friend request, which he promptly accepted.
Not long after, I noticed Brian Ray’s other guitar job: playing in Paul McCartney’s touring band since the early 2000s. Wha? Really? Okay, I have to come up with a new definition of cool. He’d been performing with Paul McCartney’s touring band since the early 2000s, adding another layer of rock legend status to his already impressive resume.
As I dug into Brian’s story, I discovered we share a few uncanny parallels. We were both born in 1955, and our love for music kicked off at an early age. While Brian was picking up a guitar at age 9, I had just started drumming, exploring my own way into the world of rock and roll. But while he was diving headlong into guitar gigs, I took a different path, winding up on the radio at 19 and spinning other people’s records, a career that paid the bills and kept me in vinyl for over a quarter of a century. Meanwhile, Brian was starting a career that would take him around the world.
In 1973, fresh out of high school, Brian joined Bobby Pickett’s Crypt Kicker Five, the same group known for the “Monster Mash.” It was through Pickett that Brian met Phil Kaufman, a character notorious for his escapades in the rock world, including famously stealing and burning Gram Parsons' body in the California desert. Kaufman took him under his wing and introduced him to Etta James, who was just on the verge of a comeback. This meeting marked the start of a 14-year run as Etta’s guitarist and musical director, a gig that brought Brian face-to-face with legends like Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, and John Lee Hooker.
While Brian was on the road with Etta James, I was playing living room gigs with garage bands and spending some time gigging in bars with bands that, while fun, were ultimately going nowhere. It’s funny to think that while he was sharing stages with giants, I was in smoky rooms, pounding out cover tunes with friends.
Through his twenties and thirties, Brian’s career flourished. He wasn’t just playing music; he was living it, adapting to different genres and blending his guitar work into whatever style the moment called for. By the late ‘80s, Brian had added names like Joe Cocker and Peter Frampton to his list of collaborators. In fact, he once recalled how he had to keep his head down for the first six months of touring with Paul McCartney to avoid getting overwhelmed by the fact that he was playing bass next to a Beatle. His humility, even in the presence of legends, is one of the things that has always set him apart.
Around this time, I was still tuning into radio and discovering new sounds, albeit from the other side of the turntable. I could see how rock and roll was more than just music—it was a way of life for both of us.
Brian’s solo career began to blossom in the 2000s. Albums like Mondo Magneto and This Way Up showcase his knack for crafting infectious rock songs that are both timeless and fresh. His music with The Bayonets has allowed him to experiment while staying true to his rock roots, blending the raw energy of the ‘60s and ‘70s with a modern edge. Tracks like his cover of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl” and “Mr. Soul” feel like a nod to the era that shaped us both while still feeling fresh and relevant.
His 1987 collaboration with Smokey Robinson, “One Heartbeat,” vibrates with the energy of early Smokey Robinson and the Miracles hits and still brings something new to the genre.
Brian’s music is filled with the spirit that makes you want to turn up the volume and hit the road. It has the authenticity that comes from years of honing his craft and the kind of energy that keeps rock and roll alive and well. For anyone looking to explore Brian Ray’s music, I recommend starting with this playlist, which captures some of his best work:
Brian Ray's Playlist
And if you’ve made it this far, feel free to peruse Brian’s Discography, which is packed with his solo works and appearances with Paul McCartney, Etta James, Willy DeVille, Kelly Clarkson, Stephen Bishop, Brenda, Stephanie Mills, Rita Coolidge and many more.
Brian Ray’s journey is a testament to the power of rock and roll and a reminder that, while our paths may be different, it’s the passion for music that truly binds us.