RAY COOPER - BIOGRAPHY
As a child, Ray began violin lessons, soon after switching to drums. His musical career began at the age of 14 with his first professional engagements being in and around Birmingham, England. At 18 he was called up into the Army and was posted to the North Staffordshire Regimental Band, touring for three and a half years in India and parts of Burma.
Upon leaving the Army, Ray continued his music career playing with orchestras in and around London, when he then began touring with various Vaudeville artists. This lead to working with Edmundo Ros at the Bagatelle, the Mayfair and the Dorchester Hotel etc.
Ray then began working on the Queen Mary with the Geraldo Organization, sailing between Southampton and New York City. He then worked for eight years with the Joe Loss Orchestra traveling over 50,000 miles per year. Joe Loss evolved into a double act called Burns & Cooper, whom Ray was associated for three years, touring throughout Europe.
Ray arrived in the United States in 1966 and worked in Miami Florida for four years. From there to Las Vegas, working at major hotels accompanying the Russ Morgan, Ray McKinley and Larry Elgart Orchestras. Ray then formed a trio called “The Dam Limeys” performing in Las Vegas as well as for the opening of the London Bridge in Lake Havasu Arizona.
Ray then moved to Long Beach California, where he soon began traveling the Fair circuit and touring the US at schools and colleges with a program called “The History of Vaudeville.” Afterward he performed for twelve years on the “Queen Mary”, now dry-docked and a major tourist attraction and hotel in Long Beach, California.
In 1979 Ray became a U.S. citizen. His hobbies include music, theatre and reading autobiographies.
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