Michael Ray is a student and fan of decades of country music gone by, and it seems he's learned a thing or two from his heroes. In fact, you could be forgiven for thinking his new single "Whiskey and Rain" is from Gary Allan's catalog.

The song finds Ray heartbroke as all get-out, drowning his sorrows in alcohol as the sky opens up outside. Powerful fiddle and mournful steel guitar propel the Josh Thompson and Jesse Frasure-penned lyrics, which Ray sells convincingly (perhaps because he has a bit of very public experience in this arena).

“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,” says Ray, who has been digging into the genre's back catalog with his Honkytonk Tuesday livestream series. “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.”

"Whiskey and Rain" is Ray's first single from what will be his third studio album, produced by Ross Copperman. His newest project, Amos, arrived in 2018.

Did You Know?: Ray comes from a family of musicians in Eustis, Fla. He grew up watching his grandfather's band, the Country Cousins, perform until he was old enough to take the stage with them.

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Michael Ray, "Whiskey and Rain" Lyrics:

It's been a downpour beatin' on the tin roof / It's been black label pourin' on ice / Made a honky-tonk out of this living room / Yeah, swimmin' through her goodbye / Misery loves company

Chorus:

Yeah, whiskey and rain comin' down, comin' down / Splash of bourbon in a glass / Yeah, pourin' something on the pain / Let it drown, let it drown / Try to wash away the past / 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 whiskey and rain

It's been nothin' but a hangover trying to get over you / But Lord willin' and the creek don't rise / I'm gonna wake up in the mornin' feel brand new / Without a single cloud in the sky / Oh, but tonight, it ain't the weather breakin'

Repeat Chorus

Misery loves company

Repeat Chorus

'Til the bottle runs out or the clouds roll away / It's just whiskey and rain

Whiskey and rain comin' down, comin' down / Splash of bourbon in the glass

See 50 Essential '90s Country Songs:

See 50 Essential '90s Country Songs

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