Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part series on the owners of The Beacon Restaurant and Bar.
As a young teen, it was clear to see that Johnny Ray was most at home while on stage. Playing live music in bands throughout Boston, Johnny was a natural performer. By the early ’90s, his musical travels landed him in Marblehead, where he worked by day at the Harbor Light Inn on Washington Street and “cultivated” his band by playing “gigs at night at yacht clubs and nightclubs on the weekends,” he recalled.
While working as the resident entertainer on Horizons Edge Casino Cruise Lines in Lynn, an agent from Las Vegas came calling and the bookings began.
“From that point, I began working in Las Vegas and traveling the country as a full-time professional entertainer,” Johnny said of his decades-long musical career.
That same finesse and love of entertaining eventually brought Johnny back to Marblehead to pursue another dream — a restaurant of his own. While dining at Red Rock Bistro, Johnny met Edgar Alleyne, a well-known chef on the North Shore.
“Edgar had worked for decades delighting the North Shore with his culinary skills,” Johnny said.
The pair developed an instant friendship. What started as a casual conversation about having their own restaurant one day led to the dynamic duo behind The Beacon Restaurant and Bar in Marblehead.
“When the former owners of Wick’s asked if I’d be interested in partnering up and putting a team together to rebrand and open a new concept at the space on Pleasant Street, Edgar was the first person I called,” Johnny said.
The Beacon opened its doors in the early summer of 2021, when the world was still reeling from the pandemic. The lineup of live bands and local favorites (including The Guy Ford Band and Wilmot Red) breathed life back into a community where isolation had become the norm. And then there were the nights when Johnny sat at the piano, crooning lyrics from a wide catalog of pop music, with a vocal range from Frank Sinatra to The Monkees.
The model proved successful, and over the next several months, Johnny and Edgar forged ahead, steadfast in their commitment to providing gourmet food and live music as a catalyst for connection.
Today, with the addition of a piano bar by the stage, customers revel in the Beacon’s Manhattan-style supper club vibe. The expansive weekly lineup includes solo performances on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by guitarist Michael McMahon of Funbucket, pianist Dan Kenney on Thursday and Fridays, and popular local acts on Friday and Saturday nights. Every Sunday morning, customers are treated to the Beacon’s signature jazz brunch, featuring world renowned guitarist Gerry Beaudoin and his trio.
The secret to the Beacon’s longevity is a frequent question.
“Without giving away the secret sauce,” Johnny said, “you must have a partner who shares the same commitment to ‘real live entertainment,’ and the right space to make it happen.”
He said he was not referring to DJs, karaoke, and open-mic nights.
“I’m talking about real live musicians who have devoted their lives to their craft, their instruments, and to their professions,” he said.
The regular crowd can vouch for the winning recipe. It’s clearest on nights when one particular entertainer quietly slips in, and takes his seat behind the piano: It’s Johnny Ray they keep coming to see.
For a schedule of upcoming live events and tickets, please visit: https://thebeaconmarblehead.com. To see previously recorded concerts, download the streaming app, Warwick TV, in the App Store.
Leslie Martini is a freelance writer and children’s book author. Though she and her family have lived in Marblehead for more than 26 years, Leslie is still discovering countless untold stories. If you’d like to share your story, please contact leslie@marbleheadweeklynews.com.
