Kriti Mehrotra
Although described in Netflix’s ‘Tex Mex Motors‘ as merely a paint, design, and creative genius when it comes to vehicle customizations, the truth is Andy Ray Stapp is much, much more. We honestly only get a glimpse of his abilities in this reality series, but the truth is his years of working in the automotive industry, as well as his carefully honed skills, have given him an edge. Therefore, of course, his charm and uniqueness have made him a fan favorite despite him joining the cast of this Texas/Mexico-based production just recently in its sophomore season.
Andy Ray Stapp is a Proud Marine Veteran
It was back around the mid-1970s when Andy was born in the small town of Lockney, Texas, which is where he also developed a passion for cars thanks to his family’s auto-body repair shop. Nevertheless, once he graduated high school in 1993 in a class of only 44 kids, he signed up for the United States Marine Corps so as to serve his nation while pursuing further education. That’s how he ended up as a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare specialist who actually operated in gas chambers not just on US soil but also in bases across Japan as well as Australia.
Andy reportedly served for several years before being honorably discharged, following which he found himself helping run his family’s auto-body repair shop and realized it was his true calling. In fact, it was here that he ventured into airbrushing, only for it to then spark his interest in car customizations and general painting, leading him to land several artistic gigs across genres. From car shows to drag shows to bigger events of all kinds (corporate and personal), he actually did everything, all the while working at UGGS Boot as their lead artist to make ends meet, too.
Andy Ray Stapp Has Long Been Involved in the Entertainment Industry
While it’s unclear precisely when and how Andy made the jump from a pure artist to a creative entertainer, we do know he has been involved in the industry since around the late 2000s. In fact, he was a participant in ‘Car Wars,’ wherein two teams compete to have the best custom-performance cars, only to go viral when a couple of his quotes were used in the trailer of the show. This propelled him to have a great reputation not just in the automotive industry but also in the mainstream media, resulting in his landing appearances in several other reality car-building series’ too.
Andy actually even relocated from Texas to California to Tennessee and then back to his native Texas for these productions, just some of which include ‘Search & Restore’ as well as ‘Overhaulin.’ All of this has enabled him to showcase his talents in such a way that he has essentially built a legacy of sorts, which he only plans to continue with his recent endeavor, Livin’ The Dream Media. This is a production company that unabashedly backs as well as offers its expertise to anyone interested in video marketing, resulting in him now holding the title of editor and producer.
Andy Ray Stapp is Thriving as an Entrepreneur and a Family Man
Considering Andy’s involvement in the world of customized vehicles, the entertainment industry, and his Living’ The Dream Media business, he is honestly doing great for himself these days. In fact, he has even served as a creative producer on ‘The Car Crashers,’ ‘Destination Marfa,’ as well as ‘Tex Mex Motors,’ only to now be a part of the latter’s cast while also writing and directing an original film. As for his personal standing, the ‘Sling Blade’ creator plus travel enthusiast is currently still based in Lockney, Texas, where he is surrounded by his partner, children, and grandchildren at every step of the way.
Read More: Robert “Rabbit” Pitts From Tex Mex Motors: How Did He Die?
