Sometimes, the most effective way to become successful in the music industry is to be in the right place at the right time, and that’s certainly true for Brian Ray, the long-time guitarist and bassist for Paul McCartney. To even be in the same room as McCartney, let alone playing instruments he himself has mastered, would be a dream for most musicians.
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Sure, there was plenty of hustle. After all, if Ray didn’t have the chops, the gig was his to lose. Still, the fact that a stint with “Monster Mash” singer Bobby Pickett and Etta James would lead to a decades-long appointment in a former Beatle’s band is a testament to how small and unpredictable the world of rock ‘n’ roll can really be.
“Monster Mash” and Etta James Led The Way
Decades before he would land the dream role of playing in Paul McCartney’s band in 2002, guitarist Brian Ray was, like so many other aspiring musicians, in a band with his high school classmates. As he explained in a 2025 interview with Guitar World, the band’s drummer’s mother, actor Cloris Leachman, was dating Bobby Pickett at the time. Pickett, who was already famous for his 1962 novelty song, “Monster Mash,” overheard the teenagers practicing while visiting his girlfriend.
Pickett needed a band for when he went on the road. So, he asked the 17-year-olds if they would be interested. Obviously, they said yes. “It was great,” Ray recalled. “We did our own sort of zombie makeup, and my late sister came out with us and sang. [Bobby] did a lot of cover songs. He’d come out and throw chicken wings at the kids. It was a lot of fun.”
While playing a charity gig with Pickett, Ray crossed paths with producer and tour manager Phil Kaufman. Kaufman knew that soul singer Etta James needed a guitarist. He suggested that Ray come out to a rehearsal to see if he was a good fit. “It was wild,” Ray said. “There was Etta James and all these killer players. I was shy and kind of sat there. But Etta said to Phil, ‘I like that little white kid.’ She asked me if I’d like to play the next night in Long Beach.” Ray remained James’ guitarist for 14 years, eventually becoming her musical director as well.
“She was tough and hard, but she could be warm and fun,” Ray said of the woman behind hits like “At Last” and “Something’s Got a Hold on Me.”
Eventually, Brian Ray Linked With Paul McCartney
After enjoying a successful career stint working with Etta James, Brian Ray continued to hone his chops around the world. In the early 2000s, he once again enjoyed the benefits of knowing the right people and being in the right place. As he recalled in his 2025 interview, he was spending time with a friend who happened to be playing for Paul McCartney. Ray casually asked his friend who would play guitar while McCartney played bass and vice versa. The friend said, “Actually, we’re looking for a guitar player who plays a little bass.” Ray offered his assistance.
Ray met with McCartney’s producer, David Kahne, who was kind but couldn’t guarantee Ray a job, considering the four other players that were currently in the running. “I don’t really have control over it,” Ray remembered Kahne said, “but I wish you good luck.” He continued, “I thanked him and split, and the next day, I got a call, ‘Can you be on a plane tomorrow to go to New Orleans to play one song with Paul McCartney?’” And he did.
The lucky guitarist has worked with McCartney since 2002, playing guitar or bass depending on which instrument the former Beatle and musical icon happens to be playing. And to think, if Ray had written off his drummer’s mom’s boyfriend as nothing more than a kitschy Halloween cover artist, these musical opportunities might have never fallen in Ray’s lap.
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