(MONROE TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- The Monroe Township Community Center Gymnasium hosts a free concert by Mr. Ray on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 3:00pm. Mr. Ray brings positive, inspiring songs with messages of kindness, having good manners, and staying healthy. The show is for kids 3-8, but adults will think his songs rock!
Mr. Ray is the stage name for Ray Andersen who has been writing and performing under this name since 1994, but that is only part of the story...
In 1994, Ray was asked to come in and perform at a pre-school. In no time, he became known as "mr. RAY," holding an eye-catching, colorfully-stickered guitar. The kids (and Ray) were quickly hooked. Singing about friendship, dinosaurs and rainbows never sounded so cool before.
He grew up in West Orange, New Jersey in the home that legendary songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin lived and where most of the "Tapestry" album was written. Ray's love of music was apparent at an early age when he was introduced to The Beatles. Eventually the bug of songwriting hit him hard. Along the way, he went on to the famed American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC, which further emboldened his love of the arts.
In the 80's, Ray went onto a very important journey in life as a member of the notable Asbury Park NJ, Stone Pony house-band, "Cats On A Smooth Surface." Bruce Springsteen played withRay and the band so much, he often raved to the press that they were his favorite group of musicians to jam with when he was off tour.This experience led Ray to years of performing and touring with the likes of Meat Loaf, Bon Jovi, matchbox twenty and his own original band, Blue Van Gogh. All of these experiences led him to the musical galaxy of mr. RAY...
In 1995, Ray formed a pop/rock duo, Blue Van Gogh, and released an album called Hi-Fi Junkie Sonata, distributed by Edel Records. The music & and video was met with international acclaim. They toured throughout Germany as the opening act for matchbox twenty in April of 1998.
In 1998, Ray got a call to play guitar, keyboards & sing backup for international rock star, Meat Loaf. Besides giving him the thrill of performing in some of America & Europe’s greatest venues, Ray, as part of Meat Loaf's band, did a lot of TV such asDavid Letterman, Jay Leno, Top Of The Pops, TGIF, VH1's Storytellers, Hard Rock Live and many more. In October of 1999, the #1-rated VH1 Storyteller episode of all time, Meat Loaf's, went on the road through 2000, & Ray along with Mr. Loaf can be seen forever preserved on the Storytellers DVD and CD.
In addition to Mr. Ray, you can catch Ray Andersen's Bowie & Beyond Tribute Show.
The Monroe Township Community Center is located at 120 Monmouth Road in Monroe Township, New Jersey. Admission is free; first come, first served!
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