About Me
Though many can claim they have rock and roll coursing through their veins, few have brought that feeling into reality like Brian Ray.
From playing with Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt Kicker Five at the age of 17 to being named guitarist and music director for Etta James just one year later, to his current gig as Paul McCartney’s guitarist and bass player since 2002, Brian has proved his musical prowess and versatility time and time again. However, in addition to his noteworthy work with others, Brian brings the same enthusiasm to his solo career.
His forthcoming album, My Town, due out August 2 on Stevie Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records, is a culmination of seven years of solo music that speaks to Brian’s soul in a different way, featuring 4 new songs. He notes, “As rich as my experiences have been playing and writing for others, there’s nothing quite like writing, producing, and playing for my own solo releases.”
My Town consists of the singles Brian has released with Wicked Cool Records since 2017, beginning with the track, ‘Here For You’, all the way through 2022’s ‘On My Way To You’, along with four new tracks, including new single ‘When The Earth Was Round’ which Brian explains “is about romance in a post-truth world." Because the album spans such a lengthy period of time, the result is a diverse and well-rounded listening experience. In terms of his songwriting, Brian expresses appreciation for the creative freedom emerging from his longtime partnership with Wicked Cool Records, “I get to indulge my wildest ideas, knowing I have the full support of Stevie Van Zandt and his label.”
The album features special guest singers such as Smokey Robinson on One Heartbeat, a track which Brian co-wrote for Robinson in 1987, Michael Des Barres (Power Station, Silverhead, Detective) on Spell Breaker, a track the two co-wrote together in 2020, and Gia Ciambotti on a cover of Willie Dixon’s I Ain’t Superstitious. Additionally, on select tracks Brian tapped his Paul McCartney bandmate, Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums. Scott Shriner (Weezer) and Davey Farragher (Elvis Costello) also make appearances, both on bass and backing vocals.
In addition to his solo career, Brian also founded The Bayonets with producer and songwriter, Oliver Lieber (Paula Abdul, Aretha Franklin, Rod Stewart). The band remains active as well, giving Brian yet another musical outlet. Reflecting on his robust musical career, Brian does not take anything for granted. “Working with Etta James and then Paul McCartney is like winning the lottery twice in one lifetime,” he continues, “In terms of experiences and memories, I’m a billionaire ten times over.”
Ultimately, My Town encapsulates Brian’s influences, songwriting, and signature style in a way that is uniquely him. “These songs have been a labor of love,” he explains, “I hope you dig listening as much as we enjoyed making them, and I can’t wait for you to hear the new unreleased tracks.”
