bio

There is a sound and feel to tradition that you can't invent on the spot. One has to learn it. One has to inherit it. Solid Ray Woods has inherited and learned the sounds of the past in order to take the tradition of soul and rhythm into the future of a new American music. Listen to his voice and his intuitive, skillful, complementary drumming, and it's easy to realize this new artist has the history of rhythm and blues, gospel, and soul on his sleeve, and is able to create a new direction for singer songwriters who sit behind the drum kit rather than the guitar.

Solid Ray began his steady presence in the Southern California music scene and played with as many troubadours as he could. He made a name for himself as a drummer who would show up at a open mic or sit in on a gig with someone he had never met before and make the music sound rehearsed. While sitting in at the Beatnik Cafe in Joshua Tree, he was approached by Victoria Williams and Mark Olson (a founding member of the Jayhawks). They added him to their band The Creekdippers and gave him his first break, with a tour of the U.S. in 2002. That first tour led to many more around the States, Japan and Europe, along with recording sessions for Creekdipper records and a subsequent Jayhawk's tour as well. Years of songwriter association paid off as Ray began to debut his original compositions along side traditional soul and folk tunes. It wasn't long before he gathered his own band and sound using accomplished musicians, which enabled him to start playing packed shows. Solid Ray Woods officially released his first recordings on December 20, 2008.