Glenn M. Ray
About Glenn M . Ray
Born in Tuskegee, AL., Glenn was relocated to Detroit, MI at the age of 3. By the 5th grade he realized music and entertaining was deeply embedded in his soul, thrilling lunch hour audiences playing the bongos on the steps of the academic building. During homeroom period he wowed the classrooms with his group imitating the Jackson 5 during his 7th grade year. Moving back to Tuskegee at 13, he joined the school band and choir in the 9th grade where he starting playing saxophone and singing. By the 11th grade he was playing professionally, performing at various functions and nightclubs, as leader of his band, The Images, throughout the United States. They were influenced greatly by Charles Pollard, who taught the band how to sing, play, dance and put on a show. The audiences couldn’t get enough of the fresh, cool style they presented. Also, the hometown, famous Commodores set a great example of what that kind of performance could merit. Glenn sang background vocals on the Commodores’ Lady (You Bring Me Up) in 1980.
Moving to Dallas, TX in 1981 with his band, then The Ultimate Force, (same band members) was a rewarding experience. They were immediately recognized as the band to be reckoned with, with their funky, flashy style, and took the region by storm. In 1988, Boz Scaggs was among the audience at one of the band’s Dallas performances and informed them that he was firing his band and taking The Force’ to Switzerland for the MTV Rocket 88 show; thus starting their overseas experience. After changing their name to Premiere and recording a 2 song album,“Perfect 10”,with LaMusique Records(David Cochrane) ,in 1989,the band moved on to the Asian side of the world to Yokohama, Japan in 1990 and Tokyo in 1991. Glenn took a break from the band in 1992 to perform in Tokyo for one year, solo, and rejoined the band in 1993 to tour Asia; visiting Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Guam, and Singapore along the way. In 1997 Glenn formed another FUNKY-COOL group,SLAM! His concept was well thought out and well applied. They performed in Taiwan and Tokyo. It was a short-lived union but a great band.
In 2013, Glenn recorded his first CD, entitled, ‘Voice of My Heart’. It consists of ten popular cover ballads and one original song, ‘Midwest Smooth’. ‘Midwest Smooth’ is a Smooth Jazz Instrumental created through an internet collaboration with the basic track from MaestroP (Miles Warren) of Minneapolis, to Bassist Morton C. Smith, of Tokyo, laying the bass lines, to Glenn, also based in Tokyo, adding the melody line, chorus and harmonies on saxophone. Upon completion, the song was sent to Emmy Award winning engineer (OT) Cedric Freeman, of Indiana, for mixing and mastering. ‘Voice of My Heart’ is available in Japan stores, HMV and Tower Records, Amazon, and iTunes.
Glenn is now based in Tokyo, Japan as a free-lance artist and has been on tour with Japanese artists as well as appearing on various television programs with Japanese and American artists.
Interests
Scuba Diving, Motorcycling, Physical Training
Entertainment Profile
Saxophone, Lead & Background Vocals
Glenn began his career in 1974. His musical and vocal training started at Tuskegee Institute High School in Tuskegee, Alabama. Glenn has performed throughout the United States and the Asia Pacific region with his former bands, Premiere and Slam!
He has also performed as a solo act, and his skills include song writing and arranging.
Artists Performed With
James Brown Commodores Kool & The Gang
Boz Scaggs Con-Funk-Shun The Barkays
The Jetts Toni,Tone, Tony Ken Hirai
Hamasaki Ayumi Amuro Namie Okamoto Mayo
Recordings
| 1980 | Commodores（Back Vocals） |
| 1992 | Duet Love Song CD（Lead & Background/Back Vocals） |
| 1999 | Bird |
| 2000 | Speed（Back Vocals） |
| 2005 | Sony Play Station「Tensho Academy」 |
| 2013 | Voice of My Heart CD Midwest Smooth – Official Video – You Tube |
| 2015 | Glenn M. Ray ‘Christmas with Glenn M. Ray’ CD |
| 2022 | Gets Me Started － Single Release |
Television
| 1999 2000 | HEY HEY HEY | Ricky Martin（Sax） Amuro Namie |
| 1999 | Music Fair | Ricky Martin (Sax） Mary J. Blige |
| 1998 2000 2002～2003 | NHK | Okamoto Mayo Itsuki Hiroshi（Sax） Hamasaki Ayumi |
| 2000 | Beautiful Life | Season Finale |
TV Commercial
| 2010 | SONY WALKMAN TV COMMERCIAL W/JASMINE |
| 2011 | DOCOMO SONY EXPERIA TV COMMERCIAL SONG |
| 2012 | ASAHI COCKTAIL DRINK COMMERCIAL SONG |
| 2015 | VENTUNO COMMERCIAL SONG |
Tours
| 1998 | Crystal Scenery X-mas Tour Back Vocals, Dancing Duet w/ Okamoto Mayo | Okamoto Mayo |
| 1999 | Shikoku Dance Tour Singing,,Playing Saxophone | Dancin Station |
| 2002 | Japan Dance Tour Vocals & Dancing | Nagamine, Yasuko |
Videos
| 1999 | Single Release | Bird |
| 2013 | Official Original SongVideo | Midwest Smooth |
Events
| 2003 | Mazda Main Stage Vocals, Team Leader | Tokyo Motor Show |
| 2011 | Tohoku Donation | Yebisu Beer Festival |
| 2012,2013 | Music Festival | Huis Ten Bosch |
Dinner Shows
| 2002, 2003 | Vocals | Nagamine, Yasuko |
| Yearly | Vocals, Sax | Watanabe, Yasuko |
| 2011〜2013 | Vocals, Sax | Jal City Hotel |
| 2012 | Vocals, Sax | Yonezawa Daichi Hotel |
| 2012 | Vocals, Sax | Huis Ten Bosch Xmas |
| 2012 | Vocals, Sax | Huis Ten Bosch |
Modeling
| 2005 | CD cover for Sony Playstaion game (Tensho Gakuen) soundtrack |