Ray Lopez was an early jazz musician from New Orleans who began his career playing in street parades, a common starting point for many musicians of his time. By 1906, he was performing with Papa Jack Laine’s Reliance Brass Band. In 1912, Lopez joined Tom Brown’s Band From Dixieland in Chicago, staying with the group until 1915 and touring vaudeville under the name The Five Rubes. He briefly formed his own band in Chicago in 1916 before playing with Bert Kelley’s band and accompanying singer Blossom Sealy until 1920. That year, Lopez joined Clint Brush’s Jazz Babies and played with Tommy Rodgers.

In 1917, Lopez was involved in a notable legal dispute over the song "Livery Stable Blues," which the Original Dixieland Jass Band recorded. Lopez and Yellow Nuñez had copyrighted the song and published sheet music crediting themselves as the authors, leading to a lawsuit from Nick La Rocca and the band. The case, which drew public attention, was eventually dismissed with neither party granted copyright.

Lopez moved to California in December 1920, joining Abe Lyman’s California Orchestra at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He remained with Lyman until 1927, after which he joined Gus Arnheim's orchestra until 1929. In the 1930s, Lopez formed his own band and continued to perform until he left the music industry in the late 1930s.