Ray Reyes

Ray Reyes León (born March 13, 1970 in New York City) is an American-born Puerto Rican singer who is a former member of Menudo. He was born in New York City and was raised in Levittown, Puerto Rico. His father, Rey Reyes, Sr., ran several successful business ventures. He became a member of Menudo in early 1983. Reyes came to substitute Xavier Serbia on the band, and joined the band right in the middle of Menudo's golden era. His younger brother, Raul Reyes, also participated as a recording backing vocals helping the group in several TV Commercials, Menudo TV Specials and the records productions A Todo Rock, Menudo Mania, Reaching Out and Evolucion. He was a strong candidate to join the band but he preferred to find his own sound and make successful career as a lead singer for Puerto Rican rock band Radio Pirata and later become an advertising voiceover talent.

Reyes amassed great popularity among Menudo fans, although he was known as the chubby one of the band. That nickname was started because, when he joined Menudo, Edgardo Diaz put him on a strict diet. That information was leaked out to all gossip magazines, who published the information immediately.

Ray's first album with Menudo was 1983's A Todo Rock, where he sang lead vocals on '"Si Tu No Estas,'" '"Chicle De Amor," and "Zumbador.". He continued through the time when Menudo had the number 1 hit Indianapolis from the same album and when Menudo started making it to the covers of Tiger Beat and other major teen magazines, and also when Menudo became famous in Brasil, The Philippines and Japan.

His next 3 albums recorded as a member of the band were all recorded in 1984. "Mania" was the first one of '84 and the band's first album in Portuguese. Ray sang lead vocals on "Quero Ser". "Reaching Out" was the second album of '84 and the band's first album in English. Ray sang lead vocals on "That's What You Do". "Evolución" was the third album of '84, it was also the last album recorded in 1984. Ray sang lead vocals on "Persecución" and "Yo No Fui". It was also Ray's last album recorded as a member of Menudo.

Ray was forced to leave the band after only 2 years in the group due to a sudden growth spurt. In 1986, the solo album "Una Y Otra Vez" was released in Spanish and the album "Minha Musica" in Portuguese. In 1988, he joined former Menudos Rene Farrait and Johnny Lozada in Proyecto M, once again substituting Serbia. Proyecto M went to enjoy great success in Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

Ray got married twice and got his son Marcos and Cecilia, he's single now. In 1997 he came with the idea of doing an ex Menudos concert and reunited 6 of the golden era with former Menudo bandmates Miguel Cancel, Ricky Melendez, Charlie Massó as well as Farrait and Lozada for a single concert named El Reencuentro in the Roberto Clemente Coliseum ( 12,000 capacity ) in San Juan. The concert did so well, that they finished doing 7 shows in two weekends and then went on a worldwide tour. They also had the record of most performances in that coliseum with 11 concerts [1]

References

  1. ↑ Lannert, John (2 May 1998). Latin notas. Billboard. p. 47. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
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