Ricardo Ray

Ricardo "Richie" Ray (born February 15, 1945) is a virtuoso pianist, singer, music arranger, composer and religious minister. He is known as "El Embajador Del Piano" (The Piano Ambassador). Ray (born "Ricardo Maldonado") was born in Brooklyn, New York City of Puerto Rican parents. They lived in Hoyt Street. Ray's father, Pacifico Maldonado, was an accomplished guitarist in his native Bayamon, and as such was the Maldonado family's early musical influence.

Ray's parents had him take lessons and he started to play the piano when he was only seven years old. His life-long partnership with Bobby Cruz started five years later in 1957 when Ray played bass in a group led by Cruz. This combination was the beginning of one the greatest salsa duos in the salsa music industry.