Born on April 18, 1957 in Newport News, Virginia, Ray began playing piano when he was six years old. Raised in England and south Florida, he now resides in Waynesville, NC, a small town in the mountains of west North Carolina. As a youth, Ray studied classical piano with the renowned Argentinean concert pianist Raul Spivak. He also studied jazz piano with Vince Maggio (University of Miami) and Chuck Marohnic (Florida Atlantic University). Collegiate studies were at Palm Beach Community College Read more on Last.fm