Ray Colao

Ray Colao was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He spent the first years of his life amongst the sprawling urban jungle that is Boston.  His Mother, a school teacher, and his Father, an instrument repairman and local cultural event organizer, were natives of Puerto Rico.  From an early age, he was exposed to a variety of music.  From Jazz to 50s Doo Wop to Romantic Spanish Ballads to his family's traditional music of Puerto Rico, music was always playing in and around his house.  Because of this rich musical environment, Ray found himself picking up a guitar at the age of seven and singing publicly at the age of ten.

After high school, Ray joined the United States Army and was stationed oversees.  It was in Germany that his musical tastes began to expand and he began to really dig funk, disco, and rock.  His return to the States brought him to Texas where his musical palette began to grow yet again.  He was both amazed and excited at the rich tapestry of musical genres Texans enjoyed.  He immersed himself in swing jazz, mariachi, tejano, country, and pop. But event with all the wonderful new music he was embracing, he always kept the music of Puerto Rico close to his heart. 

After a service related injury left Ray discharged from the military, Ray began using music as a means of meditation and healing. He realized the more he learned about music...the more peace and joy he began to experience. Since then, Ray has grown into an accomplished musician and vocalist. The San Antonio Current describes Ray Colao as “Tito Puente, Pitbull and Otis Redding all rolled into one.” The alternative newspaper has named him the city’s best vocalist 3 years in a row.   

Ray and his team of seasoned musicians have graced stages all over the US, performing at some of the most High-Profile Weddings and Events in the country.

Colao is a Multi Award-Winning Variety Show Band that is a sure fire hit for Corporate Events and Weddings. COLAO has been described as the most fun and entertaining band in Texas. Genres include Top 40 (60’s to Now), Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Jazz, Bachata, Rock, Funk, and well just about anything that makes you move and groove. All members are professional musicians and are well-versed in all genres of music to be able to accommodate to any crowd. From the classics of yesteryear, to the contemporary Hits of artists like Drake and Bruno Mars, we have got you covered. Regularly featured on local morning TV shows like Great Day SA (CBS) and FOX News First (FOX), COLAO is definitely a Texas Favorite.

Ray is happily married to the love of his life, Erica, and is the proud father of six beautiful children.  Together, they run The Colao Group, LLC.

Ray is also a proud United States Army Veteran.