Ray wuxuu ahaa hoboladii ugu horreeyay iyo maareeyaha kooxda ee Dugsiga Sare ee Minnetonka, isaga oo bilaabay shaqadiisa 1949. Ka dib markii agaasime kooxeed la shaqaaleysiiyay 1963, Ray wuxuu sii waday inuu hogaamiyo barnaamijka muusiga choral, isagoo ka fariistay ka dib markii uu saameeyay nolosha kumanaan arday ah, labaatan iyo toddoba sano ka dib.
Ray wuxuu ku dhashay Nevada, Iowa, wuxuuna ka qalin jabiyay Jaamacadda Drake. Waxa uu wax ka bartay jaamacadda Northwestern University, MacPhail School of Music iyo Boston University. Waxa uu ka ciyaaray kooxaha qoob ka ciyaarka iyo guutooyinka milatariga, waxana uu ahaa maareeyaha muusiga ee All Saints Lutheran Church ee Minnetonka.
Muusigu wuxuu ahaa noloshiisa. Waxa uu siiyay casharo biyaano iyo qalab, waxa uu hogaaminayay kooxaha xagaaga iyo macalimiinta ardayda la talinta. Intii uu abaal-marinno iyo abaal-marinno ku mutaystay shaqadiisa, ma uu samayn wax dhiillo ah; waxbaridda ayaa ahayd diiradda. Waxa uu ahaa bare edaab leh, ardayduna way u riyaaqeen natiijada, iyaga oo la xidhiidhay isaga, xitaa sannado badan ka dib qalin-jabinta. “In aan haysto macalin adiga oo kale ah waxa ay beddeshay fikirkii aan naftayda ka qabay iyo waxa aan qaban karo,” ayuu qoray arday hore.
Ray wuxuu bilaabay dhaqamo. Muddo 58 sano ah kooxda Minnetonka Choir waxay soo gabagabaysay riwaayad kasta, "Rabbi ha ku barakeeyo oo ku dhawro," oo ah faa'iido choral bulshada si ay ula wadaagaan.
Waxa uu koray shan carruur ah oo dhigta dugsiyada Minnetonka: Carol (Minkler) Traynor, Marilyn (Minkler) Kuntz, Janice (Minkler) Nicolay, Mark Minkler iyo James Minkler. Inan uu awoowe u ahaa, Anne Traynor, waxay ku heesi jirtay Choir-ka Minnetonka. Ray wuxuu ku dhintay da'da 96 sano 2009.