About Ray

Sweetwater Records' recording artist Ray Fogg has become a favorite at Put-in-Bay, Ohio on South Bass Island, the popular summer party island resort in Lake Erie, for over 38 years. His act is mostly bar-room comedy and comedy songs, with a sprinkling of heart-felt songs about island life. He performs through the island season at Reel Bar and the Round House Bar.

Now, that live experience has been captured on his latest album, Shut the F*ck Up, recorded live at Reel Bar, released independently through Sweetwater Records and distributed worldwide by CD Baby. The recording features 28 tracks, blending stand-up comedy, spontaneous crowd interaction, and original comedy songs - the same formula that has made Fogg one of the island’s most recognizable entertainers for 38 years. Although in today’s world, individual tracks are often streamed alone, this album is best listened to as an entire work to give the best impression of Fogg’s shows.

During the off-season, he has performed at world famous venues in Key West and New Orleans, as well as to Great Lakes towns throughout Michigan and Ohio, where he draws enthusiastic fans hungry for their winter-time Ray Fogg fix.

The Columbus Dispatch has called him “one of Put-in-Bay’s most popular entertainers.” The Detroit News said Fogg "weaves music, comedy and heartfelt songs about island life into an entertaining show." "One island is not enough to hold all of Fogg's talent" said the Sandusky Register. Cleveland's Sun Papers said, "What attracts people to Fogg's shows is his ability to write, and better yet ad lib, edgy comical songs and anecdotes perfectly suited to a beer-drinking crowd."

Since 1998, he has released six other albums, mostly with his band, Ray Fogg & The Swingin' Lesbian Frogs (Wave, Kiss My Bass, I'm Busy (boating, drinking, singing), Live from Put-in-Bay - Christmas in July, Sorry If I Was A Dick Last Night, and Island Life). While many of these releases are as raunchy as his latest, two of them (Waves & Island Life) are strictly PG!

Fogg's back up band on some of those albums, The Swingin' Lesbian Frogs, is comprised of musicians respected as top notch players, writers and producers: Frank Romano - guitar (has also worked with Rob Thomas, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, Puff Daddy, Musiq Soulchild), Mike Crow - bass (also with Skinny Moo), and Richard Carpenter - drums (Ohio; formerly of Exotic Birds).

Through the 1980s and early 1990s Ray toured the college circuit nationwide. During this period he founded a booking agency which specialized in the college market. Although Ray long ago left the agency business, his sister Linda Fogg continued with Fogg Entertainment until her retirement. From 1985 to 1991 Ray served on the National Association for Campus Activities' (NACA) Associate Member Advisory Board, part of the national leadership of the college circuit association, representing the interests of fellow performing artists. He has received humanitarian awards for his work with world hunger.

But then Ray discovered that his writing and performing are best suited and well inspired by the beautiful and fun island of Put-in-Bay where you can find him most every weekend during the summer season.

Fogg is also co-owner of Reel Bar, a popular restaurant and bar at Put-in-Bay which also features top-notch live entertainment. On top of all of that he is an avid boater and pilot, using both skills as he transits between his homes at Put-in-Bay, Ohio and Key West, Florida. He is the president of 3Whiskey2 Pilots Association, Put-in-Bay’s local pilot group.