Biography
Vonray formed in Orlando, FL, as a five-piece outfit whose direct approach drew from the expansive rock style that early Pearl Jam brought to large venues. Vaughan Rhea handles lead vocals and guitar while lending his surname to the group; his brother Dave Rhea plays bass, Garret Coleman covers rhythm guitar, Todd Hackenburg handles lead guitar, and Jeff Irizarry sits behind the drums.
Vaughan Rhea spent his formative years in rural Tennessee, where his parents’ record collection introduced him to the songwriting of James Taylor, Harry Chapin, and Cat Stevens. Concluding that Nashville offered little room for another aspiring artist, he relocated to Orlando, FL, and worked the local bar scene as an acoustic solo performer. Exposure to the soaring vocals and guitar-driven force of Pearl Jam’s Ten album shifted his direction toward a harder-edged style. With Dave Rhea he recruited the remaining members, launched regional performances, and soon opened for national acts including Third Eye Blind and Seven Mary Three.
The band issued its first album, Panes, in 1997. Strong local response prompted a 1999 reissue that added four new tracks. Producer Brett Hestla, drawn by the attention the group had generated in Orlando and surrounding areas, brought them in to cut another four songs for an EP. Those recordings circulated among major labels, and Elektra ultimately signed the band. A summer 2002 tour alongside fellow Florida rock act Creed preceded the April 2003 release of Vonray’s self-titled Elektra debut. The album received added visibility after its lead single “Inside Out” appeared on the soundtrack for the WB Network series Smallville.
Vaughan Rhea spent his formative years in rural Tennessee, where his parents’ record collection introduced him to the songwriting of James Taylor, Harry Chapin, and Cat Stevens. Concluding that Nashville offered little room for another aspiring artist, he relocated to Orlando, FL, and worked the local bar scene as an acoustic solo performer. Exposure to the soaring vocals and guitar-driven force of Pearl Jam’s Ten album shifted his direction toward a harder-edged style. With Dave Rhea he recruited the remaining members, launched regional performances, and soon opened for national acts including Third Eye Blind and Seven Mary Three.
The band issued its first album, Panes, in 1997. Strong local response prompted a 1999 reissue that added four new tracks. Producer Brett Hestla, drawn by the attention the group had generated in Orlando and surrounding areas, brought them in to cut another four songs for an EP. Those recordings circulated among major labels, and Elektra ultimately signed the band. A summer 2002 tour alongside fellow Florida rock act Creed preceded the April 2003 release of Vonray’s self-titled Elektra debut. The album received added visibility after its lead single “Inside Out” appeared on the soundtrack for the WB Network series Smallville.
Albums
Singles
