Born San Francisco California of Filipino ancestry, (FBI- full-blooded
Ilocano) Ray Sr. has strong ties to Hawaii -specifically on Oahu – where, as a
keiki (small keed kine), he lived with relatives in Kalihi & Waipahu.
‘Pops’ worked in the shipyards at Pearl Harbor for a short in time in
late 1950’s before moving back to the S.F. Bay Area. ‘CHOKE’ calabash
family here in the Bay Area and the Islands, who share and live by the ‘Aloha
Spirit’. Ray Sr. grew up to embrace both Filipino/Hawaiian cultures and the
kama'aina transplants in the S.F. Bay Area. He started listening to and was
influenced by Hawaiian artists in the 70’s such as ‘Gabby Pahinui’,
‘Keola & Kapono Beamer’, ‘Sunday Manoa’, ‘Kalapana’, and
‘Makaha Sons’. Trained musically on piano, woodwinds, guitar, vocals and
percussion while growing up, as a teen and young adult, Ray played top 40
R&B and Pop with several bands. He enjoys listening to and playing Hawaiian,
Latin Jazz, R&B and “music any kine”. A proud father/stepfather of
5, his children are Raymond Jr.(member of Ka Ehu Kai), Luana (dances with
‘Spirit Of Polynesia’), Victor, Solomon, and Lavonn. “Pops” also
has two grandkids - A.J. (Andrew) and Rhea.
