Ray Toro

Have you ever heard a guitar sound like a marching band? Ray Toro helped make that happen! He crafts big, dramatic guitar parts that can turn a rock song into an exciting story.

Ray Toro (born July 15, 1977, in Kearny, New Jersey) is an American guitarist best known as the lead guitarist for My Chemical Romance. In the early 2000s, his powerful, melodic playing shaped the band's dramatic sound and helped define the emo/alternative rock era.

Ray played on albums like I Brought You My Bullets, Your Blood (2002), Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004), and The Black Parade (2006). The Black Parade—often called a rock opera—included the huge song 'Welcome to the Black Parade.' His solos, riffs, and arrangements made the music feel theatrical and memorable, and the band toured the world.

His music showed that guitars can be bold storytellers—loud, soft, sad, or triumphant. Ray's mix of rock energy and dramatic melodies inspired many young musicians to pick up a guitar and write their own amazing songs.

If you like playing music, try listening to a Ray Toro song and notice how the guitar paints a picture. Music can make you brave — and you might discover your own musical voice!