Ray Barbee facts for kids

Ray Barbee was born on October 5, 1971, in San Jose, California. He is a famous American skateboarder and a talented musician. Ray is known for his unique style in both skateboarding and music.

Skateboarding Skills

Ray Barbee was one of the first skateboarders to mix different styles. He brought freestyle tricks, which are usually done on flat ground, into street skating. He was also great at technical ollie combinations. An ollie is when a skateboarder jumps with the board sticking to their feet. Ray also created many cool variations of the "no comply" trick. This trick involves taking one foot off the board for a moment. He is most famous for his smooth style and amazing no complys.

Ray Barbee in Videos and Games

Ray appeared in several popular Powell Peralta skateboarding videos. These include Public Domain, Ban This, and Propaganda. You can also play as Ray Barbee in the video games Skate 2 and Skate 3.

In 1987, when Ray was just 15 years old, he was featured in a special section of the Bones Brigade Intelligence Report. This report showed new, talented skateboarders. It even had a photo of Ray doing a "handrail boardslide," which is a trick where you slide along a handrail on your board.

Sponsors and Other Interests

In 1991, Ray left Powell Peralta to join The Firm Skateboards. This company was started by another famous skateboarder, Lance Mountain. Ray has his own special shoe with Vans, a popular shoe company. He is also sponsored by Independent Truck Company and WeSC. Besides skateboarding and music, Ray Barbee is also a skilled photographer. He likes to take pictures using old-style film cameras, like a Leica M6.

Music Career

Ray Barbee is a very talented musician who plays many different instruments. He released his first music collection, called an EP, in 2003. It was named Triumphant Procession and featured instrumental songs with a Jazz feel. Ray recorded and produced these songs himself in his home studio.

Albums and Collaborations

In 2005, he released another album called In Full View. On this album, other musicians joined him, including drummers and a saxophone player. Ray plays the guitar, bass guitar, drums, and even the xylophone.

In 2007, Ray recorded music in Japan with a group called the Mattson 2. This recording became the album Ray Barbee Meets The Mattson 2. It combined the guitar and drums of the Mattson 2 with Ray's extra guitar playing. When they perform live, Ray sometimes plays both the bass and lead parts on his guitar at the same time.

Live Performances and Recognition

Ray Barbee is also known for his solo live shows. He uses special "looping delay pedals" and "drum machines" to create his music. These tools allow him to record and repeat sounds during his performance. His music has been played on NPR, a well-known radio station. It has also been used in many surf videos. Ray is sponsored by Fender Guitars, a famous guitar company.