Ray Cepeda was born on the Texas, Mexican border. He is what some call a Chicano. As a kid I was taught that we were Chicanos and were proud to be brown. Later as I grew up I asked myself, what is a Chicano? Only later to find out that most Mexican Americans or Chicanos are genetically mixed of Native American with a little Spanish blood and a Spanish sur name. In my case Mother is mostly Apache and my Father is mostly Yaqui Indian. Though I am Mexican my Native American roots have played an important role in my philosophical and musical development, especially being raised on the Mexican border where I learned to speak Spanish and much about music, harmony, and life in general. My parents later moved to Illinois where I attended some grade school and High School.
In Illinois, during his thirteenth summer, his mother bought him an electric guitar. It was a Tiesco, a Japanese model on which he first learned to play T-Bone Walker, Johnny Winter and Buddy Holly licks.
His parents moved back to Texas. Where Ray was deeply influenced by the Jazz, Blues, Texas Swing, Tex Mex, and Latin music of the south, Ray has continued to show these influences in his song writing. "It was Duane Allman playing Stormy Monday, that hit me like shot of thunder during this time in my life". Then I saw Carlos Santana in the Woodstock Film and was pretty much hooked from there on.
Later in the spring of 1974, at the age of 19, he found himself in the back woods of the Appalachian Mountains of east Tennessee studying electronics for the U.S. Department of Energy and playing in the bars in the evening. "I went on my Dad’s request to get a haircut and get a job, but found music more satisfying." I was an oddball musician back then in Tennessee because I could play Latin music which was scarce around those parts of the woods.
Ray went on to study Jazz at his community college when he again moved back to Illinois. "In Illinois we used to hibernate; stay indoors in the winter because it would snow for days and just jam and study guitar for months". By then I was developing a Latin Rock sound. I was crossing Latin with Blues similar to Santana.
Returning to Chicago, Ray continued playing the Blues and Jazz and Latin Rock in the area until the fall of 1978. The next year he moved to California. While living in Santa Barbara, he studied Jazz guitar with Bill Thrasher, guitar genius and playing partner of Joe Pass. He started his own group, Barrio Aztlan Express, and toured the coast with Barrio Aztlan and various groups.
Then in 1981 he moved to San Francisco joined the Musician’s Local #6 and played for the Walt Tolleson Agency. He started his own group, the Ray Cepeda Band. Played and recorded with Richard Kermode and Jose "Chepito" Areas of Santana. I saw this crazy little guy at a 7/11 in Daly City. He had a Santana Album in his hand and was showing it off to some girls, I asked him his name and he said, Jose Chepito Areas from Santana. We played together for about 5 years and did some recordings that haven't been released.
While living in the San Francisco Mission District Ray appeared on the Disney Channel as a soloist and was featured on KFRCs' "Catch a Rising Star". Received 1st Place honors for "Love on the Line" Best Video by NARAS, SF Chapter. An accomplished conceptual artist, Ray received a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from S.F. State University 1989.Got Married to Rachel Cohen in 1991 and their son Joaquin was born. Ray had his own Television Show "The Music Clinic" on San Franciscos' Channel 30 between 1996 - 1998. Served as Governor for 5 years on the San Francisco Chapter of the Recording Academy (Grammy Awards). All those things happened between 1982 and 1999.
Ray has worked as a recording artist and engineer. His first solo CD "The Neo Maya Experience" debuted in the fall of 2000. A 10 song Latin Rock CD. "This record is like a homecoming for me, it's the Native voice that speaks through the music, the same voice that spoke to me as a child living in Texas". This record is Raw to say the least and powerful.
In the year 2003 Ray spent much of his time compiling "El Matrimonio del Sol y Luna". A gem of art. This 11 song CD is very good. It received High marks by Joel Selvin, Music editor and Rock Critic of San Francisco Chronicle. You see what most people don't know is that Ray made most of the CD by himself , that is the songs, the recordings, the production, the art work, the poems , the playing, the singing, the pre amps, the electronics, the mixing, I mean it goes on and on........
Check out Rays' Philosophy Page
