Born on Chicago's South Side Rafe began his professional career at age 16 playing in steppers lounges.

He received a full scholarship to study Jazz and Classical bass at the University of Illinois Urbana after which performing with many jazz legends including McCoy Tyner, Nancy Wilson, Stanley Turrentine, and Chicago legend Ghalib Ghallab. Later Rafe became an original member of the Tom Joyner Morning Show Live-House Band where he was privileged to perform with Luther Vandross, Mavis Staples and others. Many TV commercials followed with the famous voices of Barry White, CeCe Winans, Patti Austin, and the Oprah show theme with Patti LaBelle.

After a move to Los Angeles you could catch Rafe daily on NBC's the Bonnie Hunt Show where he performed with Late Night's Paul Shaffer, Back Street Boys, and drumming legends John JR Robinson and Harvey Mason.

Now back in Chicago Rafe has been the bass foundation for many musicals including Wicked, Les Miserables, and Tina - the Tina Turner musical.