RON RAINES joined the cast of the popular CBS-TV daytime series GUIDING LIGHT in July 1994. For his work as “Alan Spaulding” Mr. Raines has been nominated for a 2003, 2004, and 2006 Emmy Award and was nominated three times for the SOAP OPERA DIGEST Award as “Outstanding Villain,”

Ron is well known to theater audiences in New York and around the country as one of America’s leading musical theater performers most recently starring on Broadway as Billy Flynn in CHICAGO. He also starred on Broadway as Gaylord Ravenal in the 1983 revival of Jerome Kern's SHOWBOAT co-starring Donald O’Connor. He originated the role of Teddy Roosevelt’s ambitious son-in-law Nick Longworth in the short-lived Broadway musical TEDDY AND ALICE starring Len Cariou and went on to originate the dual role of Jupiter/Amphytrion in the Off-Broadway musical hit OLYMPUS ON MY MIND.

Mr. Raines’ other New York appearances include Whitelaw Savory in ONE TOUCH OF VENUS with Susan Lucci at Town Hall, Fredrik Egerman in the Opera Ensemble production of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, OH LADY! LADY! and, most recently, CARNEGIE HALL’S TRIBUTE TO LERNER AND LOEWE (both at Carnegie Hall), as well as several appearances with the 92nd Street Y’s acclaimed “Lyrics and Lyricists” series. In 1992 he starred with Kaye Ballard at Rainbow and Stars in the Irving Berlin revue SAY IT WITH MUSIC and returned there to star in LEADING MEN DON’T DANCE (available at Amazon.com).

He made his debut at New York City Opera as Danilo in THE MERRY WIDOW, a role he has played opposite some of the best leading ladies, including Roberta Peters and jazz singer Cleo Laine. He also starred in NYCO’s production of Offenbach’s THE DUCHESS OF GEROLSTEIN.

Ron toured the country starring as "Leadville" Johnny Brown opposite the indomitable Debbie Reynolds in THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN and played Aristede in CAN CAN in Japan with Chita Rivera and The Rockettes. Additionally, he has played leading roles in virtually every major American musical and operetta including SOUTH PACIFIC, ANNIE, KISMET, SAYONARA, KISS ME KATE, THE KING AND I, NAUGHTY MARIETTA, BRIGADOON, ROSE MARIE, OKLAHOMA!, CAROUSEL, SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM, FOLLIES (Detroit Free Press nomination as “Best Actor of the Season” opposite Juliet Prowse and Nancy Dussault) and MAN OF LA MANCHA at the country’s leading regional theaters and opera companies including those in St. Louis, Dallas, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Columbus, OH, Tulsa, Portland, OR, St. Louis, Syracuse, Dayton, Atlanta, Anchorage, Birmingham, Cleveland, Chautauqua, Cooperstown, Nashville, Buffalo, Houston, and of course New York City.        

As a concert performer, Ron has appeared as soloist with the symphony orchestras in Atlanta, Alabama, Baltimore, Baton Rouge, Cleveland, Columbus, Dubuque, Minnesota, Omaha, Pittsburgh (with Marvin Hamlisch), Philadelphia Pops (with Peter Nero), Philadelphia Orchestra, Portland, ME, Rochester, Richardson, San Diego, San Francisco, Tulsa, Washington DC’s National Symphony, and the Boston Pops (with John Williams). Mr. Raines has also had the privilege of performing with BBC Concert Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony and the Israeli Philharmonic. Ron has had the honor of singing for two of Americas first ladies: Nancy Reagan’s White House luncheon for the Senate wives and Ladybird Johnson’s National Wildlife Federation gala in Austin, Texas.

In May of 2000, Mr. Raines made his UK debut in the role of Don Quixote/ Cervantes in MAN OF LA MANCHA as part of the Covent Garden Festival at the Peacock Theater in London. In May 2001 he starred as Sky Masterson in GUYS AND DOLLS at the Royal Festival Hall, a performance recorded by the BBC. Last fall Ron again appeared with the BBC concert orchestra as a soloist in the Jule Style Gala concert.

Mr. Raines recently completed his second solo album SO IN LOVE WITH BROADWAY (Jay Records) after releasing RON RAINES: BROADWAY PASSION, recorded with the National Symphony Orchestra of London, both available at Amazon.com. Other Jay Records projects include complete recordings of MAN OF LA MANCHA, THE PAJAMA GAME, 110 IN THE SHADE, WONDERFUL TOWN as well as highlighted versions of ANNIE and GUYS AND DOLLS. Ron has also recorded on the Farnsworth Alley label with the LOST IN BOSTON series, in addition to the new musical NIGHT OF THE HUNTER slated for a future stage production.

Ron has appeared in three of PBS’s Great Performances including GERSHWIN AT 100 (CARNEGIE HALL); THE RODGERS AND HART STORY: THOU SWELL, THOU WITTY; MY FAVORITE BROADWAY, THE LOVE SONGS and A TRIBUTE TO RICHARD RODGERS with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops.

Born in Texas City, TX and raised mainly in Nacogdoches, TX, he attended five high schools and three Universities, before completing his degree in Music from Oklahoma City University in 1975. Ron was then invited to join the graduate program at the American Opera Center at the Juilliard School. Summers were spent apprenticing and performing roles at Santa Fe Opera and at Wolf Trap where he came to the attention of the late baritone John Reardon who served as his mentor.