Repertoire : Folk/Traditional/Original/Celtic

Hear Ray's music in this style

Realizing the way traditional music dovetails with certain contemporary music, Ray performs songs rooted in both the past and present. He likens his solo performances to a bird flying over the landscape for his ability to land anywhere, the terrain an unrestrained wash of some of the finest American, Ethnic and Celtic traditions. He further attests to the philosophy that ‘less is more’ for his knack of generating a wide-open rapport with the audience, whether it is a festival, club or concert hall. So where do we place his music? Everywhere, evidently, and that seems to be a perfect pigeonhole for this performer whose music spans Folk, Americana to Roots Acoustic Music, Blues to Bluegrass and Swing, and Country-Eastern to Celtic and Western. Similarly, his seamless shifts from soft-spoken ballads to humorous topical tunes may find you checking your seat belt. He draws from a deep well of songs and stories and can be counted on to infect his entire environment with his trademark wry sense of humor in the tradition of Mark Twain and Will Rogers, down the trails blazed by Steve Goodman, Shel Silverstein, Steven Wright to the campfires of the Guthrie Legacy.

Ray is an award-winning Songwriter. Aside from his solid National Airplay throughout the last three decades, his stacks of songwriting awards attest to an uninterrupted flow of exceptional material recorded by performers far and wide – often the headlining acts that Ray has opened for. A winner in the majority of National Song Competitions that he entered, Ray jokingly recalls an embarrassing 'sweep' of one particular song contest in which his original songs won first, second and third place. Subsequently, his original recording was selected by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences as a candidate for GRAMMY Nomination.

Ray Owen’s songs can be comic, evocative, whimsical, melancholy, or poignant. His occasional on-stage meanderings into Cowjazz, Pop Parodies, and Uneasy Listening have, more often than not, brought the house down. Whether it is an original composition or an engaging interpretation of a traditional song, his creativity and artistic integrity reflects his depth and sincere love of the musical traditions in which he resides.

Celtic

Ray's work with Universal Studios - "the Hollywood folks"

       Click on the image to enlarge

    Traditional

       Click here to see "The Grandaddy of Heritage Shows!"
Flyer image : From Buffalo Chips to Microchips

Ray Owen performing on guitar, harmonica, banjo, mandolin, concertina and vocals