The Artist
He Didn't Start Until 40. He Hasn't Stopped Since.
A story about a late start, a Guitar Center dare, and what happens when you actually go for it.
40
Age he first picked up a guitar
1 yr
From first lesson to first open mic
2 yrs
From first lesson to first paid gig
Jupiter, FL
East Coast of Florida
The Guitar Center Dare
Christopher Ray had never touched a guitar in his life. Not as a kid, not in his twenties, not in his thirties. Then one day, his wife decided he needed a hobby. They were driving past a Guitar Center when she said, "Let's get you a guitar and see if you can learn to play." He figured — why not? He walked out with a Martin Road Series and absolutely no idea what he was doing.
One Year. One Open Mic.
At his very first lesson, his teacher Gary Frost asked him a simple question: "What's the goal?" Christopher thought about it for a second and said, "I don't know — it would be cool to play in front of people someday." Gary nodded. They got to work. Exactly one year later, Christopher walked onto a stage for the first time and played his first open mic. He didn't fall apart. He didn't freeze. He played.
From Open Mic to Gigs
A year after that first open mic, he had his first real gig. Then another. Then more. What started as a hobby — a dare, really — turned into something he couldn't stop. Today Christopher plays bars, restaurants, private events, weddings, and outdoor festivals all across southeast Florida. The teal cap, the acoustic guitar, the easy confidence on stage — none of it was inevitable. All of it was earned.
It would be cool to play in front of people someday.
— Christopher Ray, at his first guitar lesson
Original Music
South of Martin County
Along the way, Christopher made another big move — trading the grey skies and cold winters of the Northeast for the salt air and golden-hour sunsets of Jupiter, Florida. That move became a song. 'South of Martin County' is a feel-good, beachy, upbeat celebration of heading somewhere better — the kind of tune that puts a smile on your face and makes you want to kick off your shoes and stay a while. It's the perfect soundtrack for the life Christopher found when he finally headed south.
"Feel Free to Join Me, South of Martin County"
The Guitars
The Guitars
He started on a Martin Road Series. These days he switches between a Gibson J-45 and his prized possession — a 1981 Martin HD-28.
Martin Road Series
The one that started it all
Gibson J-45
Warm, full, and road-ready
1981 Martin HD-28
The prized possession
The Set
The Artists in the Set
Every cover Christopher plays is chosen because it means something — songs that hold up on a single acoustic guitar and a voice that's lived a little.
Book Christopher for Your Next Event
Available for bars, restaurants, private events, weddings, and outdoor festivals throughout Jupiter and the East Coast of Florida.
Request Booking