Raymond Ray Howard
My name is Raymond Howard. I’m a Jazz, Standards & Classic R&B Vocalist. Among the many opportunities to share my gifts, I was a solo vocalist winner on the 90’s TV Show, “The Big Break Show”, hosted by the late Natalie Cole, and I have opened for or shared the stage with “Show and Tell” hit maker, Al Wilson; Con Funk Shun recording artist, Micheal Cooper; and Motown Legend, Smokey Robinson. Though I have nearly 4 decades of performance experience, I treat each audience with the utmost respect and approach and prepare for each performance as if it is my first. My goal has always been to give each consumer the best possible service I can today, better service tomorrow and even better service in the years to come.
What I enjoy most about the work that I do is that on a regular basis, I get to operate within my gifts and by doing so, I affect change. As illuminated above, music has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety and pain for many. It is an amazing 'drug free" way to improve the quality of life and I am extremely fortunate to be able to use my gifts to help make life a little better for others. I am billed as an award winning, Singer/Songwriter and captivating Keynote Artist with a presentation unlike you have ever seen. Using my gifts of music and storytelling, I also challenge and inspire my audiences to REALIZE their possibilities. Drawing from nearly four decades of experience in music, social services and business fields, I also deliver presentations that are Entertaining, Educating and Motivating. I have been blessed, with a vocal range from Sinatra, to Al Jarreau, to John Legend and I have been honored to utilize my unique vocal interpretations and professionalism to warm the hearts and inspire the minds of countless audiences for decades.
I have a degree from Ohio State University, I studied percussion and rhythms at the Ohio Music Conservatory in Cleveland, OH and I studied vocal performance at the Ken Barry Performance Studios, in Southern California. Most importantly, after nearly 4 decades of performing, I still study and practice vocal stylings and performance techniques, new and old, continuously. I have worked with a variety of consumers: Aging Americans: Senior centers, Assistant Living Facilities and Retirement communities; Private Parties: Anniversaries, Birthdays, Retirements, Holiday, Dinner parties, Cocktail hours, jazz brunches, engagement parties, etc...; Weddings: Ceremonies, Cocktail hours, Dinners and Receptions; Religious establishments; Private and Public Corporation Parties; Federal, State, County and City Agencies: Program launches, conferences, staff appreciation, etc...and Funeral and memorial services.
I am fond of most projects I participate in, but the ones that stand out for me are the senior programs where I have been able to use my gifts to improve the lives in some tiny way of the most seasoned among us. You can see samples of my work at www.LoveRaymond.com
How Did I Get Started
I always say: "Be careful what you think about because you can't help but go there." It all started when I worked as a janitor while I was in high school, I used to clean an elementary school by myself late at night. Every night when I approached the cafeteria/gymnasium/performance hall, I would climb up on the stage and using a broomstick, I would perform to an imaginary audience. Since, I have performed on countless stages to countless 'real' audiences of all sizes including millions of TV viewers and have loved every moment of it. I went on to get degrees in Psychology and developed and operated programs that assisted thousands of youth and young adults in or exiting the Foster Care system. When I set out to do the work I did with young people, I realized it would take millions of dollars and several committed allies to complete my vision of improving the odds for young adults exiting the system. I quickly repurposed my gifts of music and storytelling to meet my objectives.
Speaking and singing everywhere I could get on the agenda, I warmed hearts with my music and told the story of what was needed to help youth and young adults transitioning from the system, to set and achieve goals that added significance to their lives. I used my music and my message to attract the allies and the millions of dollars of funding necessary to change the lives of thousands of young people. Further, I used my music and messages to reach the minds and hearts of the young people I was charged with training and invigorating. The programs that I was fortunate enough to develop and implement in the 80’s and 90’s, in the largest land-mass county in the US, and surrounding counties, were the first of their kind in California. Fortunately, they are still in place in various forms today, continuing the valuable work of assisting youth and young adults during their difficult transition from care into adulthood and self-sufficiency.
Little did I know that my performances to those imaginary audiences on that lonely elementary school stage in the country hills of northeastern Ohio, would lead to me performing for audiences around the world and contributing to changing the lives of so many. I now focus that same energy on improving the quality of life for the most valued, precious and seasoned among us, Seniors.
What I enjoy most about the work that I do is that on a regular basis, I get to operate within my gifts and by doing so, I affect change. As illuminated above, music has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety and pain for many. It is an amazing 'drug free" way to improve the quality of life and I am extremely fortunate to be able to use my gifts to help make life a little better for others. I am billed as an award winning, Singer/Songwriter and captivating Keynote Artist with a presentation unlike you have ever seen. Using my gifts of music and storytelling, I also challenge and inspire my audiences to REALIZE their possibilities. Drawing from nearly four decades of experience in music, social services and business fields, I also deliver presentations that are Entertaining, Educating and Motivating. I have been blessed, with a vocal range from Sinatra, to Al Jarreau, to John Legend and I have been honored to utilize my unique vocal interpretations and professionalism to warm the hearts and inspire the minds of countless audiences for decades.
I have a degree from Ohio State University, I studied percussion and rhythms at the Ohio Music Conservatory in Cleveland, OH and I studied vocal performance at the Ken Barry Performance Studios, in Southern California. Most importantly, after nearly 4 decades of performing, I still study and practice vocal stylings and performance techniques, new and old, continuously. I have worked with a variety of consumers: Aging Americans: Senior centers, Assistant Living Facilities and Retirement communities; Private Parties: Anniversaries, Birthdays, Retirements, Holiday, Dinner parties, Cocktail hours, jazz brunches, engagement parties, etc...; Weddings: Ceremonies, Cocktail hours, Dinners and Receptions; Religious establishments; Private and Public Corporation Parties; Federal, State, County and City Agencies: Program launches, conferences, staff appreciation, etc...and Funeral and memorial services.
I am fond of most projects I participate in, but the ones that stand out for me are the senior programs where I have been able to use my gifts to improve the lives in some tiny way of the most seasoned among us. You can see samples of my work at www.LoveRaymond.com
How Did I Get Started
I always say: "Be careful what you think about because you can't help but go there." It all started when I worked as a janitor while I was in high school, I used to clean an elementary school by myself late at night. Every night when I approached the cafeteria/gymnasium/performance hall, I would climb up on the stage and using a broomstick, I would perform to an imaginary audience. Since, I have performed on countless stages to countless 'real' audiences of all sizes including millions of TV viewers and have loved every moment of it. I went on to get degrees in Psychology and developed and operated programs that assisted thousands of youth and young adults in or exiting the Foster Care system. When I set out to do the work I did with young people, I realized it would take millions of dollars and several committed allies to complete my vision of improving the odds for young adults exiting the system. I quickly repurposed my gifts of music and storytelling to meet my objectives.
Speaking and singing everywhere I could get on the agenda, I warmed hearts with my music and told the story of what was needed to help youth and young adults transitioning from the system, to set and achieve goals that added significance to their lives. I used my music and my message to attract the allies and the millions of dollars of funding necessary to change the lives of thousands of young people. Further, I used my music and messages to reach the minds and hearts of the young people I was charged with training and invigorating. The programs that I was fortunate enough to develop and implement in the 80’s and 90’s, in the largest land-mass county in the US, and surrounding counties, were the first of their kind in California. Fortunately, they are still in place in various forms today, continuing the valuable work of assisting youth and young adults during their difficult transition from care into adulthood and self-sufficiency.
Little did I know that my performances to those imaginary audiences on that lonely elementary school stage in the country hills of northeastern Ohio, would lead to me performing for audiences around the world and contributing to changing the lives of so many. I now focus that same energy on improving the quality of life for the most valued, precious and seasoned among us, Seniors.