RAY BROOKS - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - MON, JAN 11, 2016 - 7:00 PM PST

Ray Brooks first started as a vocalist in the Coral Club, while in high school. In 1958 began his career as a professional guitar player and singer at the Cloud 9 club in downtown Corpus Christi, Texas. He worked throughout South Texas, backing artists as Floyd Dixon and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. In 1961 Brooks moved to Dallas, Texas, where he worked with Freddie King and the great Buster Smith. Ray arrived in Los Angeles, California in June of 1963, and started to appear in all of the popular L.A. clubs of the time. In 1968, Brooks co-wrote "Burbank Brown", a song that was featured in the hit movie, "Bob, Carol, Ted & Alice". Ray was nominated for the Blues Grammy in 1979 for his recording of "Walk Out Like A Lady". He subsequently toured with the Job Corp. around the country, and shortly thereafter played a lengthy residency at Harrah's Club Lake Tahoe. In 1980 Ray toured South Africa three months with Cashears as the opening act for Tina Turner, and after that, with late keyboard great, Billy Preston. In 2007, Brooks performed the music in a commercial. for French sunglasses company, Optic 2000. Most recently, Ray relocated to the Southern California High Desert city of Victorville. He was a headline performer at the 2014 High Desert Music Festival, and continues to perform throughout SoCal, as well as teach music. In addition to performing music on a regular basis, Brooks currently teaches music at the Excelsior Charter School system in Victorville.