Ray was joined by his wife, country songstress Carly Pearce, who warmed up the stage, as well as country star Jake Owen, who closed the show. Radio personality Jesse Addy introduced Ray.
He opened his acoustic set with the infectious “Think A Little Less,” where he instantly lured his listeners in, and he immediately broke into “I’m Gonna Miss You.” “Thank you so much for the warm welcome here,” he said. “This is so cool.”
Ray brought Pearce back on stage, who joined him for a special duet of the traditional country classic tune, “When You Say Nothing At All.” Ray’s rich, baritone voice blends well with Pearce’s soothing vocals, and they did both Keith Whitley and Alison Krauss justice. Ironically enough, Ray and Pearce credited Whitley and Krauss as their personal favorite artists respectively.
He took his fans on a trip down memory lane to his debut single, “Kiss You in the Morning,” where he thanked all the country stations, especially New York’s Country 94.7, for helping it go to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Airplay charts.
Ray shared that his latest studio album, Amos, is dedicated to his grandfather and he went on to perform “Get to You,” and his radio single, the poignant “Her World or Mine,” which was filled with raw emotions. “Thank y’all so much,” he said, following the warm reception and expressed his appreciation to New York Country’s 94.7 for believing in him early on and supporting him on his journey.
He closed his set with the mid-tempo and nonchalant “One That Got Away,” which reached the Top 3 on country radio, and he left his fans and listeners wanting to hear more.
The Verdict
Overall, Michael Ray put on a charming set at the Chelsea Music Hall for the New York Country 94.7 “Up Close and Personal” event. He is worth seeing in concert any time he performs. His set garnered an A rating.
To learn more about country artist Michael Ray and his music, visit his official website.
Read More: Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos chatted with Michael Ray back in October of 2019.
