Michael Ray Brought To Tears as ‘Whiskey and Rain’ Hits No.1 at Country Radio

Michael Ray earned his fourth No.1 at country radio this week as his latest single, “Whiskey and Rain,” reached the…

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Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

January 11, 2022

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10:48 am

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Michael Ray; Photo via YouTube

Michael Ray earned his fourth No.1 at country radio this week as his latest single, “Whiskey and Rain,” reached the top spot at country radio. 

Co-written by Josh Thompson and Jesse Frasure, “Whiskey and Rain” was released in 2020 and serves as the lead single from the Florida native’s seven-song collection, Higher Education

Ray became emotional when he heard the news and took to Instagram to share his gratitude. 

“WHISKEY AND RAIN IS THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN COUNTRY MUSIC!!!!,” he wrote alongside a black-and-white video that showed tears running down his face. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Michael Ray (@michaelraymusic)

Ray went on to recall the day he recorded the song and shared how country hitmaker Gary Allan inspired him and his music. 

“Y’all I gotta be real. It’s been an emotional one today,” he acknowledged. “Back when we were recording this song I would think about all the things I always loved about @garyallanmusic and the way his music spoke to me and my life growing up in Eustis. I hope this song has been there for you on lonely nights when you’ve needed it, just like Gary always has been for me. One of my favorites of his goes, ‘life ain’t always beautiful… but it’s a beautiful ride.’ Thank y’all for this beautiful ride!!! Thank y’all for loving this song!!! We ain’t slowing down!!! 🥃🌧”

YouTube video

Ray also shared a statement admitting that the support for the song has been “overwhelming” and “exciting.”

“I can’t think of a better way to gear up for 2022 than this: celebrating with a song that’s so special to me,” he shared. 

“Whiskey and Rain” has raked in over 100 million global streams. The music video has more than 3.7 million views. 

YouTube video

Ray recently released an acoustic version of the song to celebrate the success of the track. Fans can stream the new version HERE

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Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.