Ray Chew (born c. 1968) is an American musician who specializes in keyboards and contemporary and orchestral arranging.Chew was a member of the Saturday Night Live Band from 1980 to 1983. As of the late 2000s, he is the music director for the syndicated television series Showtime at the Apollo, and the bandleader on the The Singing Bee.Chew was the bandleader during the 2008 Democratic National Convention and at the Barack Obama Neighborhood Ball a the First inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009.He grew up in the Grant Houses, located on 125th Street, several blocks west of the Apollo Theater.Template:Asof, he was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey, having moved there from New York City in the late 1990s.It was announced on December 30, 2010 that he will be replacing Rickey Minor as the new music director on American Idol. In February 2014, it was announced that he will also be replacing Harold Wheeler as orchestra leader, starting in upcoming eighteenth season of Dancing with the Stars.
Music has been my only mission and calling. It's all I ever wanted to do. It's all I've done. The good part is that it just wasn't my career. it's been my hobby. It's been everything.
2
I learned a lot about production, especially about show production, by watching them. We would be on tour, and while a lot of guys were out partying, I would stay and watch how they were doing the lighting, how they were rigging the show, all the infrastructure, what the production manager was doing, all that stuff.
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
65th Miss Universe
2017
TV Special music producer
Miss Universe 2014
2015
TV Special musical director
The 88th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
2014
TV Movie musical director
Rising Star
2014
TV Series musical director - 4 episodes
Miss Universe 2013
2013
TV Special musical director
The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards
2013
TV Special music director
American Idol
TV Series musical director - 23 episodes, 2012 music director - 13 episodes, 2012 - 2013
A Message of Peace: Making of the U. N. Day Concert 2012
2013
TV Special musical director
Stevie Wonder with Friends: Celebrating a Message of Peace
2013
TV Special musical director
We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute to Whitney Houston
2012
TV Movie documentary music director
BET Awards 2012
2012
TV Special musical director
The 2012 Miss USA Pageant
2012
TV Special music director
BET Awards 2011
2011
TV Special musical director
BET Awards 2010
2010
TV Special musical director / musician: house band
The BET Honors
2009
TV Movie musician
BET Awards 2009
2009
TV Special musician
The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration
2009
TV Movie orchestrator
From the Heart: The Four Tops 50th Anniversary & Celebration
2005
TV Special documentary musical director
Showtime at the Apollo
1987
TV Series musical director
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Miss Universe 2013
2013
TV Special
The 2012 Miss USA Pageant
2012
TV Special
BET Awards 2009
2009
TV Special
The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration
2009
TV Movie
Sunday Best
2007
TV Series
The Miss Teen USA Pageant
2007
TV Special
Sarbane's-Oxley
2007
original score music
Sophisticated Romance
2007
music scored by
New Orleans: My Home, My Life, My Love
2005
Documentary
The Gilded Six Bits
2001
Short original score music
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Benny Hill Show
1983
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
2015 NHL Awards
2015
TV Movie
Himself
American Idol
2013
TV Series
Himself
Dishing Tea with Big Meach
2012
TV Mini-Series
Himself
BET Awards 2012
2012
TV Special
Himself
BET Awards 2011
2011
TV Special
The BET Honors
2009
TV Movie
Himself
Save the World Awards
2009
TV Special
Himself - Musical Director
The Singing Bee
2007
TV Series
Himself
Known for movies
American Idol (2012-2013) as Music Department
BET Awards 2010 (2010) as Music Department
Showtime at the Apollo (1987) as Music Department
The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards (2013) as Music Department
$19 Million
