Rainy

Rainy Garay is a Contemporary Christian Psalmist, whose debut album ‘One Precious Moment’, from the Ringoes based independent label Hallel-Music was released in June, 2008.

At one time it appeared to be nothing short of a birthright for Rainy Garay to cash in on a lucrative career tied to a family background steeped in musical talent that she never did could be called a leap of faith. When asked how choosing a career in secular rather than spiritual music might have changed the course of her life she answered "Maybe I would have a better financial future, but not a better future. Every church that I have had the honor of ministering with in song, as well as every function that I have been asked to lead Worship at, has always provided a love offering for the furtherance of ministry…the Lord truly does provide".

Garay, who currently lives in Plainfield, spent much of her childhood in her family’s South Orange, NJ home studio alongside her father, Charles Smith, better known as lead guitarist and co-founder of the popular Jersey City-based group Kool & The Gang. Smith died in 2006 after more than 40 years with the band, best known for smash hits "Jungle Boogie" and "Celebration." Garay's mother, Rai Ragland, still performs as an acclaimed jazz singer with the group Vernard Hoover and The All-Party Jazz Band.

In addition her father, whom she wrote and performed music with until she was 22, Garay lists artists such as Journey, Sarah Vaughn and Anita Baker as major influences growing up. But her greatest influence only became evident in 1999, when Garay said she came to a place of humble repentance and was “saved”. Garay said while her music's message is spiritual, its style is a bit different from many other songs of the genre, uniquely blending a variety of influences and making it her own.

"Before I became a Christian . . . I hadn't done anything musically for close to seven years. I was deeply depressed, like my life was over. I had no desire to sing or write…it’s almost as if my soul went on strike. I shut down, feeling unloved and was living in shame" said Garay, who added that she had previously passed up opportunities, including offers from production agencies, to enter a career in commercial music. "One day the pastor at the church I was attending asked my husband and I to help out with Praise and Worship for a Sunday morning service, and when I did it was just so awesome. From that moment on, I felt that with what God was doing in my life, I thought it would be best for me to use my talent in that arena, so I just committed myself to His kingdom."

Today, Garay is a member of Worship Wins Wars, a Middlesex-based ministry founded by Pastor William Aberdeen whose mission statement emphasizes "total dependence on God and his word" and urges members to "ignite the fire of the holy spirit . . . to all those who have not yet heard or received his message."

Rainy has been very busy with her recent performances at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ, Jesus Book & Gifts in Green Brook, NJ, Cordesville Baptist Church in Cordesville, SC and South Orange Performing Arts Center (aka S.O.P.A.C.) in South Orange, NJ. She will be on tour at churches around the country for the foreseeable future — her husband of 13 years and guitarist, J.C. Garay — said most of her album sales to date have stemmed from such events.

‘One Precious Moment’, produced by Grammy winner John Seymour — whose credits include Santana, Dave Matthews and U2 — features 12 songs, including a title track dedicated to Garay's "heavenly father and earthly father, both of whom greatly influenced her music." One online review praised its retro sound saying: "In a world characterized by synthesized instrumentation and overly manipulated vocals," wrote C.E. Moore of the Web site The Christian Manifesto, "it is rare to get an album full of pianos, guitars, horns, violas, violins, and the like."

Rainy’s prayer is that the listener will be blessed by her gift and moved to Christ by the Holy Spirit.

How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands.

~Psalms 112:1