Bass and vocals

Ray Clubb

My musical journey started back in 1965, when I took a summer course that was offered by one of the local high schools for grammar school kids in musical instruments. I wanted to play saxophone, just like Boots Randolf (for those that remember him). I think I drove my folks crazy with the practicing. My dad would set me up in our back yard, far away from the house, with a chair and my music stand, so I couldn’t be heard from the TV room. I gave the sax up during high school for sports and girls but did learn a little music theory and how to read music during those school days.

I met Danny at church while singing in a youth choir in the early 70’s. Danny was visiting but soon became a regular and started playing guitar and singing in the choir also. While there, the opportunity opened for someone to play the bass guitar for the youth choir band. I was elected. I was eager to play and learned quickly. Soon I was asked to fill a void in Danny’s dad’s band that had lost their bass player. I wasn’t very good but they were very patient and that got me started.

From there, Danny and I played in many different bands together for about 15 years. I also had the opportunity to play in a backup band in a fifties show in Spartanburg in the late 70’s where we backed up Freddy Cannon, Bo Diddley, The Clovers and The Drifters. Musically, things were going well until I took off on the road of opportunity to build my engineering career and raise my now growing family. That road luckily led me back to Spartanburg.

After a divorce, I started playing in a band again to fill the void. This time I played guitar and was the front man for a classic rock band. That lasted about five years.

I actually thought I would never be a bassist in a band again since I had now been a guitarist and had a ton of guitar equipment and no bass equipment except my old Fender Jazz. However, I attended a party for Danny’s dad where I ended up playing a bass for the band there where Danny was the guitarist. Shortly thereafter we met with Dave and HickryStix was formed.

We are almost more like a family than a band. A close-knit group that enjoys what we do. My brother Robin is our sound and light man and my brother Roger is our webmaster and number one supporter. My privilege to be a part of it.

I am a single dad now and have two beautiful daughters that are a great inspiration and support to me, Samantha, 21, and Jessica, 16.