Ray will show his "Picture" very soon
Written with Michael Hardy and David Garcia, Ray penned "Picture" about memories of his family captured in photograph: "One day we're barefoot, young and alive / the next we're a story in a three-by-five / that somebody's sure glad to have."
The track was inspired by the passing of Ray's uncle in June 2020. "We wrote 'Picture' the day of my Uncle Terry's viewing," Ray said. "The night before, my buddy and I were going through photos and he said, 'Isn't it wild how, no matter what you do in your life, we'll all just end up being pictures that somebody who loves us holds onto?' I wrote that down at three in the morning, and I decided not to cancel my write the next day with my friends Michael Hardy and David Garcia. I came in with this idea, and I told them, 'I think we have something special here.' I wanted it to write it very autobiographically. This last year has made me so appreciative of the people who can just sit still with me, reflect and reminisce. It's one of my favorite things about growing up in the south, and I hope we never lose that."
Ray, 33, is a Florida native, having grown up in Eustis, Fla.
"I hope that when people hear this song, it's not something that brings sadness. It's something that brings joy. I hope it serves as a reminder that it's okay to slow down and be present because you'll never regret the time to take to be with family and friends. I hope listeners can go back to pictures and relive good times with loved ones that maybe have passed, but I also hope it reminds them to capture those memories, in the moment, while they can."
"Picture" is one of several new Ross Copperman-produced tracks (Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker) due starting this summer. Ray's current single "Whiskey And Rain" is currently on the charts. A special Warehouse Sessions live version of the track was released as well.
The last 12 months have also seen Ray create a livestream series, Honkytonk Tuesday. Showcasing his love for classic country, Honkytonk Tuesday drew in over 700,000 views in 2020 and placed him at No. 32 on the 2020 Pollstar Top 100 Livestreamers year-end list.
"Picture" and "Whiskey And Rain" follow previous hits "One That Got Away," "Think A Little Less" and "Her World Or Mine."
The news has not been good for Ray. This past year, he and singer Carly Pearce divorced after eight months of marriage.
More news for Michael Ray
- 12/07/23: Ray thinks "We Should Get a Drink Sometime"
- 06/23/23: Ray, Owen, Tyminski release new discs
- 05/10/23: Ray is "Workin' On It"
- 04/05/23: Ray looks to "Dive Bars & Broken Hearts"
- 08/05/22: Anderson tribute, Scott, Ray, Fireside Collective, Denning release new projects
- 08/04/22: Ray surprises with EP
- 07/31/21: Ray seeks "Higher Education"
- 06/07/21: Ray, Lily Rose join Concert forLove and Acceptance
CD reviews for Michael Ray

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