Gary Raynor has been prominent on both the jazz and theatrical scenes in the Twin Cities since 1977, the year his Minnesota bride lured him from New York.

The original bassist for the Carlton Celebrity Room, he left for several years to tour with Sammy Davis Jr., returning to join a new concept outfit called "The Ruperts Band." He has gigged with the Count Basie band, accompanied countless traveling jazz artists at the Dakota Bar and Grill, Suzettes, and The Artist Quarter, performed several Minnesota Orchestra Pops concerts, has worked locally at the Guthrie Theatre, the Ordway McNight theater and Chanhassen Theater, and as a first call show player performed dozens of Broadway touring shows, including the world premier of "The Lion King". Gary's arco work is featured on Janet Jackson's single ,"Again", which was nominated both for a Grammy and an Academy Award.

Locally, he has recorded with Debbie Duncan, Prudence Johnson, Rio Nido, Connie Evin! son, Cookie Coleman, Adi and Beth Yeshaya , Lucia Newell, Phil Aaron, Don Stille, Signe Hensel, Moore by Four, Peter Oustruschko, and Garrison Keillor. He has recorded two cds with the New York/Israeli "Soul on Fire", and four cds with the Minnesota-based klezmer band, "Klezmerica", performing its popular show, "Gershwin the Klezmer", with them in Israel , L.A., San Diego and New York.

Gary taught at the University of Minnesota for 10 years and now teaches at Music Tech College . He is currently the bassist for the "Shoe Band", the house ensemble for the popular public radio show, "A Prairie Home Companion."

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