Brian Ray

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Brian Thomas Ray is an American musician from California who plays guitar, bass, and sings backing vocals. He has been part of Paul McCartney's touring band since 2002 and has also served as musical director and guitarist for Etta James. He leads his own band, The Bayonets, and has released solo work.

Ray grew up in Southern California and began performing early, writing his own lyrics to old folk tunes. He started playing guitar at nine, and his sister Jean, from the folk duo Jim and Jean, sparked his love for rock music and helped him get a first big gig at the LA Troubadour when he was 15. After high school, he joined Bobby Pickett and the Crypt Kicker Five for a fundraising show, where he was introduced to Phil Kaufman, who later connected him with Etta James.

He spent about 14 years as Etta James’s musical director and guitarist, sharing stages with artists such as Keith Richards, Santana, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker, and Bo Diddley. In the late 1980s he turned more to songwriting, collaborating with Steve LeGassick; together they wrote “One Heartbeat,” which won a Smokey Robinson award and received heavy airplay.

Before meeting McCartney, Ray toured in France with Mylène Farmer and Johnny Hallyday. His McCartney connection came through drummer Abe Laboriel Jr., and Ray joined McCartney for the Super Bowl XXXVI pre-game performance in 2002, then joined the Driving Rain tour. He has appeared on several McCartney albums and concert films and has contributed to film scores, including Heartbreakers (1984) and The Failures (2002).

In 2011 Ray formed The Bayonets with Oliver Leiber. He released his first solo album, Mondo Magneto, on October 16, 2006, featuring guests like Scott Shriner, Davey Faragher, Abe Laboriel Jr., Wix Wickens, and Rusty Anderson. The release party was held at The Mint in Los Angeles in January 2006, and his live band Black Unicorn has played at venues such as The Viper Room. Ray released a second album, This Way Up, in 2010, and Etta James sang on Mondo Magneto.