Michael Ray Returns To His Roots On Poignant ‘Whiskey And Rain’

We're loving his new old school country sound!

Written by Jeremy Chua
Michael Ray Returns To His Roots On Poignant ‘Whiskey And Rain’
Michael Ray; Photo credit: Sean Hagwell

Michael Ray is back with “Whiskey And Rain”— the first new release following 2018’s Amos and the lead single from his upcoming third album. “Whiskey And Rain,” unlike Ray’s last two albums and hit singles, leans more into the warm familiarity of 90’s country and boasts plenty of beautiful steel guitar and fiddle sounds— marking the singer’s return to his roots. 

“I miss story songs that you have to listen to all the way through to understand. This song is everything I love about country music – traditional Country music, like Tim McGraw and Earl Thomas Conley, and I want to bring that back,” shares Ray in a statement. “This is the music I originally came to Nashville to make, and I’m grateful to have this opportunity for fans to get to know me better as an artist.”

Written by Jesse Frasure and Josh Thompson, the mid tempo song is painted with equal amounts of nostalgia and heartache— the former because of its throwback country, and the latter painted by plaintive lyrics. 

Yeah whiskey and rain coming down, coming down / Splash of bourbon in a glass / Yeah pouring something on the pain / Let it drown, let it drown / Trying to wash away the past,” Ray croons mournfully on the chorus. “Since my blue sky, sunshine, whole life / Hopped on that midnight train / ‘Til the bottle runs out or the clouds roll away / It’s just the whiskey and rain.”

Over the last few months, the Eustis, Florida native has split his time between being in Nashville and home with family, which Ray reveals has provided him with much respite.

“If I start feeling real down, I just need to go down there for a few days to see everybody. I’ll get rejuvenated with my family. Something about being on that dirt just does a lot for me,” Ray says.

He adds, “This year helped me realize that going back home allows me to move forward, being around the people who would say, ‘We know you can do it’ when I would say, ‘I think I can do it’ as I was getting started.”

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That’s a wrap… #whiskeyandrain

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“Whiskey And Rain” is off Ray’s upcoming as-yet-untitled third studio album with Warner Music Nashville. It follows his sophomore effort Amos, which spawned the singles “Her World Or Mine,” “One That Got Away,” and “Get To You.” While only few details about the Ross Copperman-produced project have been revealed, the country star promises that it will aptly reflect the country music he grew up on, and be authentically Michael Ray.

Listen to “Whiskey And Rain” above, and stream the song and other brand-new releases on our New Nashville playlist below.