Ray Barbee facts for kids

Ray Barbee is an amazing American skateboarder and musician. He was born on October 5, 1971, in San Jose, California. Ray is known for his smooth style and creative approach in both skateboarding and music.

Skateboarding Skills

Ray Barbee is famous for mixing different skateboarding styles. He was one of the first to bring freestyle tricks, usually done on flat ground, into street skating. He's especially known for his unique tricks called no complys and his super fluid style.

Ray Barbee in Videos and Games

You might have seen Ray in some classic Powell Peralta skateboarding videos. These include Public Domain, Ban This, and Propaganda. He's also a character you can play as in the popular video games Skate 2 and Skate 3.

Early Career in Skateboarding

When Ray was just 15 years old in 1987, he was featured in a special report. It was called the Bones Brigade Intelligence Report. This report showed a photo of him doing an awesome trick. He was performing a handrail boardslide.

Skateboarding Sponsors

In 1991, Ray left Powell Peralta to join a new company. It was called The Firm Skateboards. This company was started by another famous skateboarder, Lance Mountain. Today, Ray has his own special shoe with Vans. He is also sponsored by Independent Truck Company and WeSC.

Ray Barbee as a Photographer

Besides skateboarding and music, Ray Barbee is also a talented photographer. He enjoys taking pictures using old-school analog cameras. One of his favorite cameras is a Leica M6.

Music Career

Ray Barbee is a talented musician who plays many instruments. He released his first music collection, an EP, in 2003. It was called Triumphant Procession and came out on Galaxia Records. These songs were instrumental tracks with a jazz influence. Ray even produced and engineered them himself in his home studio.

Albums and Collaborations

In 2005, Ray released another album called In Full View, also on Galaxia Records. This album featured guest musicians like drummers Doug Scharin and Carlos de la Garza. It also included saxophone player Glen Darcey. Ray plays guitar, bass guitar, drums, harp, and xylophone on his music.

In March 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 was a cool collaboration that blended the guitar and drums of the Mattson 2 with Ray's extra guitar playing. When they play live, Ray sometimes plays both bass and lead guitar parts at the same time.

Live Performances and Sponsors

Ray Barbee is also known for his solo live performances. He uses special looping pedals and drum machines to create his unique sound. His music has been played on NPR, a famous radio station. It has also been used in many surf videos. Ray is sponsored by Fender Guitars.