View source for Ray Tabano

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{BLP sources|date=December 2011}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Ray Tabano
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|12|23}}
| birth_place = [[The Bronx]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| instrument = Guitar
| occupation = Guitarist
| associated_acts = [[Aerosmith]]
}}

'''Ray Tabano''' (a.k.a. '''Crazy Raymond''') (born December 23, 1946) is an American musician, who was a founding member of the [[rock music|rock]] band [[Aerosmith]] in 1970.

==Career==
Tabano was a founding member of the [[rock music|rock]] band [[Aerosmith]], but was replaced by [[Brad Whitford]] in 1971, after which he managed the band's office, hangout, and recording studio, known as [[The Wherehouse]]. Tabano started the band's fan club and line of merchandise, designing and selling merchandise himself and writing the band's fan club newsletters. He was fired in 1979, by Aerosmith's managers Steve Leber and David Krebs.<ref name="davis">{{Cite book |author=Davis, Stephen |author-link=Stephen Davis (music journalist) |author2=Aerosmith  |title=[[Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith]] |location=New York |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |year=1997 |isbn= 978-0-380-97594-5}}</ref>

===Steven Tyler===
{{Further|Steven Tyler|Chain Reaction (1960s band)}}
Tabano was a childhood friend of Aerosmith lead singer [[Steven Tyler]] in their hometown of [[Yonkers]] in [[New York (state)|New York]]. The two founded Tyler's first music band, [[Chain Reaction (1960s band)|The Strangeurs]].<ref name="davis" />

===The Strangeurs===
{{Main|The Strangeurs}}
Originally called the Strangers, the '''Strangeurs''' added a '''"u"''' to their name to avoid confusion with another band called the '''Strangers'''. The band consisted of Ray Tabano on bass guitar, [[Steven Tyler]] on drums, [[Green Mountain Boys]] member Don Soloman on keyboards and vocals, Peter Stahl on guitar, Alan Strohmayer on bass, and Barry Shapiro on drums.<ref name="bienstock">{{Cite book |author=Bienstock, Richard |title=Aerosmith: The Ultimate Illustrated History of the Boston Bad Boys |location=Minneapolis |publisher=[[Voyageur Press]] |year=2011 |isbn= 978-1-6105-9769-2}}</ref> The Strangeurs played in the local area as a [[cover band]]. The band focused on [[Top 40]] hits and earned a steady wage as a party band around the [[New England]] area.

===Post-Aerosmith===
As of September 2009, Tabano was running a catering company in [[Yonkers, New York]].

In 2014, Tabano was featured on an episode of ''[[Pawn Stars]]'', where he sold two prototype Aerosmith tour T-shirts to [[Rick Harrison]]. One was signed by the band; the other had both Tyler and Tabano's names on the sizing tag. Tabano originally asked $3,000 for both shirts. After having them appraised, however, he reduced his asking price to $1,400, and Harrison talked him into selling them for $1,100.

In 2018, Tabano was featured on an episode of ''[[American Pickers]]'', where he authenticated an [[International Harvester Metro Van]] as having been used by Aerosmith in the early days of the band's career.  The van was purchased by the show's Mike Wolfe for $25,000, after which the van was restored on behalf of the band, who then bought it back.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Aerosmith}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tabano, Ray}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:Aerosmith members]]
[[Category:American male bass guitarists]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:American rock bass guitarists]]
[[Category:American rock guitarists]]
[[Category:American male guitarists]]
[[Category:Musicians from the Bronx]]
[[Category:Musicians from Yonkers, New York]]