★★★★★ 5.0
63+ Verified Reviews on The Knot
7×
Best of Weddings Winner
500+
Weddings & Events Performed
20+
Years Playing Virginia Weddings
Ceremony. Cocktail hour. Dinner. Dancing. MC. One band that handles it all — with a bandleader who works with you, your planner, and your venue from the first call to the last dance.
Ceremony. Cocktail hour. Dinner. Dancing. MC. One band that handles it all — with a bandleader who works with you, your planner, and your venue from the first call to the last dance.
63+ Verified Reviews on The Knot
Best of Weddings Winner
Weddings & Events Performed
Years Playing Virginia Weddings
A great wedding band isn’t just a good question of “can they play.” It’s whether one band can carry your entire day — ceremony, cocktails, dinner, dancing — without a single dead moment. That’s the difference between “a good wedding band” and the band you actually book.
Live music from ceremony through reception
A professional MC who keeps the night moving
Customized song choices — including songs learned just for you
Experienced with Virginia's top wedding venues
A dance floor that works for every generation
Big Ray and the Kool Kats is a Charlottesville wedding band dedicated to delivering a highly professional, musically diverse, and multi-talented live music experience. Based in Charlottesville, VA, the band regularly travels to serve couples in Richmond, Texas, Maryland, Tennessee, Washington D.C. — and has even played overseas.
Imagine the first notes of your perfectly chosen song filling the air as you take the floor for the first time as newlyweds. As the evening unfolds — heartfelt toasts, blessings, and then the party begins — Big Ray and the Kool Kats know how to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime performance, live.
From your personally chosen ceremony music, to early evening cocktail and dinner sets at exactly the right volume, to the best in cross-generational dance music once the party switches gears — BRKK has the greatest songs from every era, on call.
We learn songs just for you — from a Hamilton father-daughter dance to a family fight song
We supply ceremony sound, microphones, and ready-when-you-are coordination
Award-winning performances, 7 years running
We keep guests of every generation dancing, from grandparents to the wedding party
Full event coverage — ceremony to last call
100% live music, no prerecorded tracks
Packed from the first song to the last, every generation included.
100% live, no prerecorded tracks, from Sinatra to today’s hits.
Ray keeps the timeline moving and the room engaged all night.
Direct coordination with your planner, venue, and vendors.
Special songs learned just for your family and your day.
“I’m not just interested in playing your wedding. I want to know what you want your wedding to feel like.” Ray works directly with couples, planners, and venues — long before the wedding day — to plan the ceremony sound, the timeline, the special requests, and the moments that make the reception feel like yours. Then he leads the room from the first note to the last dance.
Imagine the first notes of your perfectly chosen song filling the air as you take the floor for the first time as newlyweds. As the evening unfolds — heartfelt toasts, blessings, and then the party begins — Big Ray and the Kool Kats know how to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime performance, live.
“Welcoming, professional, and exceptional. As a same-sex couple we deeply appreciated how welcoming Ray was — when I mentioned wanting a cello for our first dance, he made it happen without hesitation. Hands down the best wedding band we’ve ever heard.”
Groom
“A total gem — best wedding band ever. Ray knew more about our venue, Castle Hill Cider, than we did. He learned my husband’s alma mater fight song and organized an incredible Second Line for the groom’s New Orleans roots. The dance floor was packed all night.”
Groom
“A total gem — best wedding band ever. Ray knew more about our venue, Castle Hill Cider, than we did. He learned my husband’s alma mater fight song and organized an incredible Second Line for the groom’s New Orleans roots. The dance floor was packed all night.”
Groom
My Girl · Ain’t No Mountain High Enough · Superstition
Uptown Funk · Mr. Brightside · I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Wagon Wheel · Friends in Low Places · Tennessee Whiskey
Canon in D · Ave Maria · Can’t Help Falling in Love
At Last · The Way You Look Tonight · Unforgettable
Conga · Despacito · La Bamba
When Hiring Your DC Wedding Band
Of course. Big Ray and the Kool Kats has traveled all over the country and even overseas. We are happy to play for you anywhere.
We only ask for electricity, a place to change, a vendor meal, and bottled water.
You can expect all Big Ray and the Kool Kats band regular members. We are very serious about the quality of our product and performance. An occasional sub due to illness for instance is always a possibility, but that is NOT our general policy. And btw, Big Ray has NEVER missed a show in his entire career.
We play a range from Sinatra to today’s hits and everything in between. Check out our Live Music List for more. If you don’t see what you are looking for, we are happy to learn new songs for you and will work with you to execute YOUR musical vision.
The gentlemen will wear formal attire, suits/tux and the ladies have a range of cocktail attire to evening attire, unless you request otherwise. Big Ray and the Kool Kats always keeps it classy and elegant. It is your wedding, of course we will dress for the occasion!
We will play when scheduled on the timeline to that ensure your night runs as smoothly as possible with no lapses in energy and fun at just the WRONG time.
We typically play for 5 hours, which includes ceremony, cocktails, and reception with a few intermittent breaks. We are more than happy to accommodate your ideas and musical vision.
Of course. Tell us what you would like to hear and at those rare moments when we aren’t playing live, we’ll cue up your selections.
The DO NOT PLAY list is a very important part of Big Ray’s planning…just shoot me an email.
We do not absolutely require a stage, however a raised platform not only makes the look and even sound of the band more exciting for your guests, but even more importantly it helps Big Ray survey the room for folks who might be need to be toasting, photographers in the room, and other special moments.
Big Ray and the Kool Kats take sound ordinances very seriously and is famous for performing at that precise volume that brings energy yet your guests can still speak. The band’s equipment is top notch, and they have a long time sound man that understands as well.
We travel fully self contained…you don’t need to provide any equipment.
Yes, we are covered up to 2 Million for liability. Just let us know if you or your venue requires a certificate.
