Ray Monette

Raymond Curtis Monette (born May 7, 1946, in Detroit, Michigan) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, renowned for his contributions as a Motown session musician and as the lead guitarist of the rock band Rare Earth.^[1]^[2]^[3] Monette began his professional career in the mid-1960s in Detroit, quickly establishing himself as a versatile studio guitarist for Motown Records, where he joined the ranks of the Funk Brothers around 1967 as one of the label's later additions to its roster of house musicians.^[3] He performed on numerous sessions, including tracks for artists like Funkadelic ("I Got a Thing, Everybody's Got a Thing," 1970) and Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band ("Evolution," 1971), while also co-founding the band Abstract Reality with future Motown singer Michael Campbell and participating in groups such as Scorpion and Michael & Raymond.^[3]^[2] In 1971, Monette joined Rare Earth, Motown's pioneering white rock act, replacing original guitarist Rod Richards and becoming a defining voice in the band's sound through his distinctive guitar work and vocals on hits like "I Just Want to Celebrate."^[4]^[3] He remained with the group for over three decades, briefly departing around 1977 before returning, and contributed to their evolution from psychedelic rock to funk-infused performances that toured alongside acts like Sly & the Family Stone in the early 1970s.^[4]^[5] After leaving in 2004 to focus on other projects, including further work with the Funk Brothers, Monette rejoined Rare Earth in 2009.^[2]^[4] Monette retired from Rare Earth in March 2017 due to ongoing back issues after a 46-year association with the band, solidifying his legacy as one of Motown's most enduring rock-oriented talents.^[6] Throughout his career, he has been credited on hundreds of recordings as a performer and BMI-registered songwriter, influencing the blend of rock, soul, and funk in American music.^[2]

Early life and education

Childhood in Detroit

Ray Monette was born on May 7, 1946, in Detroit, Michigan.^[1] Monette grew up in Detroit, known as the Motor City, during a transformative era for American popular music, marked by the emergence of the Motown sound in the late 1950s and the parallel development of influential rock and soul scenes throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Details about his immediate family remain limited in public records. In online discussions, Monette has noted that his wife maintains family connections in Detroit, reflecting ongoing personal ties to the city.^[7] As a native of Detroit, Monette experienced the city's vibrant local music culture firsthand, surrounded by the sounds of emerging soul acts and rock ensembles that defined the region's contributions to mid-20th-century music.

Musical beginnings

Monette began playing guitar during his teenage years while growing up in the Detroit suburb of Farmington, Michigan, where he was immersed in the city's dynamic rock and R&B music scenes, including the sounds of Motown artists and local bands.^[8] Influenced by the Motown sound and the Funk Brothers' musicianship, he took lessons at Wellesby House of Music and acquired a 1962 Gibson SG Standard, which became a foundational instrument in his development.^[8] In the mid-1960s, Monette pursued early songwriting endeavors, collaborating with local talents to craft original material amid Detroit's burgeoning music ecosystem.^[9] By 1967, he formed his first band, The Abstract Reality, alongside collaborator Michael Campbell, releasing the single "Love Burns Like A Fire Inside" b/w an instrumental version on Sport Records (SPORT 104).^[10] The track exemplified the band's style, which fused soulful vocals and rhythms with garage rock energy, reflecting the hybrid sounds emerging from Detroit's diverse musical landscape.^[10]

Career

Early session work and bands

Monette began his professional career as a session musician in Detroit's vibrant music scene during the late 1960s, quickly establishing himself as a key contributor to Motown Records. Starting around 1967, he provided guitar work on numerous tracks, including unreleased material and lesser-known releases, often alongside legendary Funk Brothers like Dennis Coffey and Bob Babbitt. His involvement in these sessions highlighted his adaptability, blending sharp rock-inflected riffs with the groovy, syncopated lines essential to Motown's evolving sound as the label expanded into funk and psychedelic influences.^[3] In 1967, Monette co-founded the band Abstract Reality with future Motown singer Michael Campbell. He also participated in the group Michael & Raymond. In 1971, Monette co-founded the short-lived band Scorpion alongside vocalist Mike Campbell, bassist Bob Babbitt, and drummer Andrew Smith, releasing a self-titled album that fused funk, blues, and psychedelic rock. The group's raw energy captured the transitional spirit of Detroit's music landscape, with Monette's lead guitar driving tracks like "Running From Myself" and showcasing his ability to navigate experimental structures. That same year, he extended his songwriting talents by co-authoring four songs on the album Stoney & Meatloaf—including "She Waits by the Window" and "Lady Be Mine"—with Campbell, contributing to the project's soulful, swamp-rock vibe under Motown's Rare Earth imprint.^[11]^[12] Monette's session contributions during this period exemplified his versatile style, bridging funk and rock in Detroit's golden era of studio innovation. Notable examples include his tenor guitar on "Evolution" from Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band's 1971 album, where he added textural depth to the instrumental's cosmic funk explorations, and his searing lead guitar solo on Funkadelic's 1970 track "I Got a Thing, You Got a Thing, Everybody's Got a Thing," which injected raw energy into the band's psychedelic proto-funk sound. These recordings underscored Monette's prowess in delivering both supportive grooves and standout improvisations across genres.^[13]^[14]

Time with Rare Earth

In 1971, Ray Monette joined Rare Earth as lead guitarist and backing vocalist, alongside keyboardist Mark Olson, replacing departing members Rod Richards on guitar and Kenny James on keyboards. This lineup change occurred during a pivotal period for the band, which had already achieved success with their extended cover of "Get Ready" in 1969. Monette's arrival helped solidify Rare Earth's signature sound, blending rock energy with soul influences under the Motown banner.^[15] Monette's guitar work became a hallmark of the band's hits, most notably on "I Just Want to Celebrate," the lead single from their 1971 album One World, which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. His distinctive riffs contributed to the track's infectious, celebratory vibe, showcasing Rare Earth's fusion of hard rock and R&B elements. That same year, Monette participated in the recording of the double live album Rare Earth in Concert, captured at various venues including the Jacksonville Civic Coliseum and Miami Marine Stadium. The album, featuring an extended 23-minute rendition of "Get Ready" among other tracks, reached gold certification from the RIAA, selling over 500,000 copies and underscoring the band's growing live prowess.^[15]^[16] Throughout the 1970s and beyond, Monette's contributions extended to several Motown-era releases, including Willie Remembers (1972) and Ma (1973), where his guitar lines enhanced the group's rock-soul hybrid style. As a core member through brief departures and returns, he played a key role in Rare Earth's evolution into Motown's first major successful white rock act, helping the label expand beyond its traditional R&B focus into broader pop and rock audiences. Monette remained with the band until departing in 2004, rejoined in 2009, and continued until his retirement in 2017.^[15]^[16]

Later collaborations and retirement

Ray Monette's association with Rare Earth spanned over four decades in total. During his tenures with the band, he engaged in select guest work outside the group.^[6] In 2010, Monette contributed guitar to Phil Collins' album Going Back, a collection of covers revisiting Motown and 1960s soul classics, appearing on multiple tracks including "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," "The Tracks of My Tears," and "(Love Is Like A) Heatwave." His participation lent authenticity to the project, drawing on his Detroit session roots alongside fellow Funk Brothers guitarist Eddie Willis.^[17]^[18] Monette's external appearances and sessions were occasional, particularly during periods of active touring with Rare Earth.^[6] In March 2017, Monette announced his retirement from Rare Earth, primarily due to recurring back troubles that made sustained touring untenable.^[6] He was replaced by guitarist Jerry "Lew" Patterson, allowing the band to continue select engagements.^[6] As of November 2025, Monette remains largely retired from active touring and recording, with no major new projects announced, though he continues to receive recognition in Detroit's music community through tributes and historical retrospectives on his contributions.^[15] Monette's career trajectory—from a prolific Motown session guitarist in the 1960s and 1970s to a stabilizing force in Rare Earth's lineup—underscored his enduring influence on Detroit's rock-soul fusion scene.^[6]

Discography

With Rare Earth

Ray Monette served as lead guitarist for Rare Earth from 1971 until 2004, contributing prominently to the band's extended jam-oriented style through his rhythmic riffs and solos that defined their live energy and studio sound. His tenure began with the album One World (1971), where he provided guitar and backing vocals across tracks, including the driving rock-soul fusion that characterized the band's Motown era. This album featured Monette's integration into the group's dynamic, supporting extended improvisations that showcased his blues-inflected playing.^[19] Subsequent studio releases highlighted Monette's evolving role, as seen in Willie Remembers (1972), where he delivered lead guitar work amid the band's covers of Willie Dixon material, emphasizing raw, energetic performances. On Ma (1973), Monette's lead guitar strafed through tracks like the title song, adding dramatic solos and percussive accents that amplified the album's soul-rock blend. Later efforts, such as Band Together (1978), included his guitar contributions during lineup shifts, maintaining the band's signature groove into the late 1970s. Monette also appeared on releases up to the early 2000s, including archival reissues that highlighted his original parts from earlier sessions.^[20]^[21]^[22] Monette's live recordings with Rare Earth captured the band's improvisational prowess, particularly on the gold-certified double album Rare Earth in Concert (1971), where his guitar and backing vocals propelled extended versions of hits like a 23-minute rendition of "Get Ready." This release underscored his ability to sustain high-energy jams, with solos that blended rock and R&B influences during live sets. Other live efforts, such as Made in Switzerland (1989) and Live in Chicago (2004), featured Monette's guitar driving the performances, preserving the band's concert intensity through his tenure.^[23]^[16]^[24] Key singles from Monette's era spotlighted his guitar work, notably the top-10 hit "I Just Want to Celebrate" (1971) from One World, where his iconic opening riff and lead lines propelled the track to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Similarly, "Hey Big Brother" (1971) benefited from his rhythmic guitar foundation, contributing to the single's chart success and exemplifying Rare Earth's concise yet jam-ready singles format. Monette occasionally received songwriting co-credits, such as on select tracks in live arrangements, though his primary impact was performative, enhancing the band's collaborative songcraft.^[16]^[25] Archival material from Monette's time with Rare Earth includes unreleased live recordings and session outtakes from the 1970s, some of which surfaced in later compilations like Greatest Hits & Rare Classics (1993), featuring his guitar on extended versions of era-defining tracks. These pieces reflect the band's prolific touring output during his involvement, offering insights into unpolished jams that never made official albums.^[15]

Session and other credits

Monette began his recording career outside of band commitments with the short-lived Detroit group Abstract Reality, alongside future Motown vocalist Michael Campbell, releasing the single "Love Burns Like a Fire Inside" b/w an instrumental version in 1967 on the Sport label. During 1968–1970, he contributed guitar to various Motown sessions as a house musician alongside other Funk Brothers like Robert White, Joe Messina, Eddie Willis, and Dennis Coffey, though specific tracks remain unspecified in available credits.^[26] In 1971, Monette co-wrote four tracks on the Motown release Stoney & Meatloaf (also known as the debut album by Stoney & Meat Loaf), collaborating with Mike Campbell on "Spring Fever," "Lady Be Mine," "I Looked Into My Mirror," and "Game of Love."^[27]^[28] That same year, he played tenor guitar throughout Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band's instrumental album Evolution on Sussex Records, contributing to its experimental funk-rock sound alongside Coffey, Bob Babbitt, and Jack Ashford.^[29] Also in 1971, Monette delivered the notable guitar solo on Funkadelic's "I Got a Thing, You Got a Thing, Everybody's Got a Thing" from their album Funkadelic (1970), enhancing the track's psychedelic funk energy.^[14] Much later, in 2010, Monette provided guitar on select tracks of Phil Collins' Motown covers album Going Back, joining other Detroit session veterans like Eddie Willis and Bob Babbitt to recreate the original soul arrangements.^[30]