Community Highlights: Meet Josh Ray of High Tone Entertainment

Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Ray.

Hi Josh, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started out in the event industry as a professional musician actually. Being a frontman, playing guitar, and singing vocals, I was familiar with being in front of people and the performance and entertainment element of live events. I could also handle being on the microphone to interact with guests, make announcements, give instructions, and encourage involvement with the music. That seemed to be 2nd nature to me.

We played clubs, weddings, corporate events, you name it! But when I moved to Nashville in 2010, I was ready for the next chapter. I was getting married to the love of my life and felt I needed to figure out a more solid career plan. The only thing is that I wasn’t good at anything else besides music and performance. But the idea of starting my own entertainment company came about from my own wedding. I organized every aspect of the music and entertainment (I had one job! Lol).

We had a live band for the ceremony (which were fellow musicians), a band for the reception (also fellow musicians), a makeshift photo booth, and a DJ to fill the music gaps of what the band couldn’t cover. The wedding was incredible! And had all these fun components that everyone seemed to really love. So I thought to myself, “why don’t we package this for weddings and events?”

I officially started High Tone Entertainment on June 11th, 2011 and we were off and running slowly. We started with one DJ and a guitarist (myself). As momentum picked up and new relationships were built we found another DJ to help. We were growing! Soon after I met who would be one of my greatest friends and business partner, Chuck Callahan. Chuck is one of the best violin players in the city of Nashville and had a whole arsenal of chamber players that could be utilized for wedding ceremonies.

So High Tone now had multiple ceremony options. A pivotal moment was when I was asked to personally DJ a wedding because our other two DJs were booked. I agreed, bought the necessary equipment, and began to learn mixing, song flow, and how to keep the party going. We then began to add lighting features, then photo booths, more musicians, and many other services for events of all kinds while also building wonderful relationships with other professionals in the event industry. And that’s how it’s been going since the beginning. Always striving to grow my business’s amazing services while providing top-notch customer service for our clients that’s 2nd to none.

High Tone Entertainment is now the #1 highest-rated 5-star reviewed entertainment company in Nashville. We’ve been mentioned in People Magazine not once, but twice! And have received the wedding wire “Couples Choice” award for 5 years straight. We now have a wonderful team of professional DJs, multiple photo booths, lighting options of all kinds, sparkle fountains, and much more. And we’re still going! New ideas and services are on the way and we can’t wait to see what happens!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing good is easy. So no, it hasn’t been smooth, to say the least. Growth, both personally and professionally, is hard. I’m always looking to expand: our services, our network, new opportunities, etc.

And with that comes unfamiliar territory. You have to try things for the first time, you have to do things you’ve never done, you have to stretch, you have to “figure it out.” And in that process, you’ll find that things go wrong or don’t work out as you hoped. But my mentality is that “you don’t lose, you learn.” You have to accept it, pick up the pieces, and get going! No excuses!

The mistakes made and lessons learned allow you to understand what needs to be done and what needs to happen the next time the opportunity or situation arises. And you’ll be more prepared and ready to do it right. That growth cycle never stops. The road to success is an uphill battle the whole way.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about High Tone Entertainment?
High Tone Entertainment is Nashville’s #1 Entertainment resource. We provide and specialize in professional DJs, Musicians, Lighting, A/V for weddings, events, and celebrations of all kinds! What sets us apart is our unique approach to tailor our services to the specific and exact needs of our clients. We want to make your event everything you were hoping for, and then some. Every time!

We are known for our personable approach and amazing customer service from start to finish. Our intention is to create something special so you’ll never forget it.

I am most proud of my amazing team and the hard work they put in week after week. High Tone is the highest-rated and highest 5-star reviewed entertainment company in Nashville, TN.

We want readers to know that High Tone Entertainment is a company of quality, integrity, character, and goodwill. We CARE about you and your event tremendously. How can we make it unforgettable? How can we take it to the next level? How can we make it everything you hoped for and much more? That’s what we’re interested in. That’s our mission. Not just to provide a service, our mission is to exceed expectations!

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
It may sound funny… but that I answer my phone if you call me (us). Emails are fine but all of my clients have my cell number. Whether it’s a new client or a wedding client we’ve booked for a year now. If you call me… I answer. And I’m glad to hear from you and help however I can.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.hightoneentertainment.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/hightoneent
• Facebook: Facebook.com/hightoneentertainment
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZTbV45BlSqCTrxSn4XCx8g

Image Credits
Canaan Kagay of Details Nashville
Kathy Thomas Photography
Courtney Davidson of Nashville Photography
Leigh Photography