Ray started singing as a young boy in St. Mary's Church Choir, Treherbert. At the age of sixteen, he joined Selsig Operatic Society, where he sang in the chorus and later performed in a number of leading roles.

In 1971 he was advised to receive voice training, which he undertook at Cardiff Castle under the direction of Miss Valetta Iacop. He later began performing as a soloist with various choirs and also on the club and cabaret circuit around Wales.

He joined the Treorchy Male Choir in 1998, as a member of the baritone section, where he is enjoying the new challenge of being part of a large choir.

As an addition to the choir he is becoming the regular baritone soloist in the choir ranks and performed at the Sydney Opera House on his birthday in 2004! He returned to the southern hemisphere during the Choir's tour of 2009 and performed in all twenty concerts throughout Australia and New Zealand.