Rhythm & Blues Musician & Local Radio Personality
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY:
“Silky Ray” Macklin — known locally just as “Silky Ray” — is a celebrated Marion County blues musician, non-profit blues organizer, & DJ & Host on the popular, long-running “Silky Ray Show”: the morning show of WDIF-LP FM, “TruBlues975”: Marion County’s community-run, 24/7 local Blues station.
Silky Ray is bandleader for the Silky Ray Band — a well-known local blues outfit that “plays both kinds of music — rhythm and blues!” Along with Jeff Brandt (guitar), Dave Sagraves (bass), and Rick Soriano (drums & keys), the Silky Ray band has been North-Central Ohio’s go-to blues band for many popular community engagements; they are available for booking for community & private events in Marion County & throughout Central Ohio. Through his leadership with WDIF “TruBlues975,” Silky Ray, along with Spencer Phelps and other station leads, has been central in spearheading a local blues revival in Marion County — including creating performance & appreciation opportunities for blues music in Marion County through TruBlues975’s annual Blues & BBQ Festival (held in downtown Marion every July) and sponsorship of a new blues-focused WDIF LP-FM Juneteenth Celebration. To book the Silky Ray Band for your next event, reach out to the contact information below!
From WDIF LP-FM “TruBlues975”:
“WDIF-LP is an independent, locally operated low power radio station licensed by Marion Makes Music, Inc. We provide local businesses an affordable way to enhance their name recognition while supporting the Marion, OH community.
We are playing the blues and are currently the only all-blues music radio station in the entire state of Ohio! From B.B. King to Willie Dixon, from front porch pickin’ on the Louisiana bayou to the big bands of Chicago, we play the absolute best blues music. We also give special consideration to local and Ohio-based blues artists. It’s the perfect blend of music to listen to anywhere—–home or office… and it’s all family-friendly!
We use proceeds from sponsorship to fund a local charitable initiative we call “The Blues Crew.” Through volunteer projects around Marion, local children can earn free musical instrument lessons so they can learn how to play music!
Thursday evenings, we feature a variety of programming that target local issues, seniors, youth, local sports, special music genres, and more. We also have a gospel music program early on Sundays.
We invite anyone who has an idea for a program that will reflect the views and needs of the Marion area to contact us. We’ll listen and try our best to bring that dream to reality!
Community Radio for Marion, Ohio is being provided through a Federal Communications license granted to Marion Makes Music, Inc., a 501C3 organization. The station broadcasts at 97.5 FM, and covers Marion County.“
For more, visit trublues975.com, or tune in on your dial anywhere in Marion County at 95.7 FM.
SHOP // ADDRESS:
TruBlues975: 196 South Main Street — Suite 301 || Marion, Ohio 43302 || tel. 740.244.9836 || info@trublues975.com
ARTIST CONTACT:
Reach out to the Silky Ray Band for bookings at 614.459.1720!
To volunteer or get involved with TruBlues975, call 740.244.9836!
SERVICES:
Rhythm & blues performance; radio DJ-ing & hosting; radio DJ & hosting training; community radio; music lessons & coaching
GENRES:
Blues; community radio; music
PROJECT MEDIA:
