FRANK RAY

Self-Titled Album Release Party

Thursday July 13, 2023

@ Ole Red in Nashville, TN

(Review By: Jeffrey Kurtis)

With Lower Broadway hopping with day early arriving weekenders, downtown Nashville was buzzing with tourists clad in boots, cowboy hats, bride-to-be sashes, and t-shirts donning their allegiance to Dolly, Cash, Willie, and Waylon.

As live music pumped out every bar, infiltrating the summertime air as every eighth note flowed through the streets inviting the passersby to stop in for a sing along and a cold one, the uber popular hotspot Ole Red turned up the heat with a pop-up show in celebration of the newly released, 15-song, self-titled album from Frank Ray.

With an enthusiastic nod to the “party crowd” as he took the stage with the tempo driven bop “Y’all Showed Up,” Ray immediately injected Ole Red with that unmistakable, positive vibed energy that’s become synonymous with him as he kicked the Latin flavored party into full gear.

“I’d like to take ya down to the southwest with this song right here,” said the Las Cruces, NM native as he bopped his way into the ultra-catchy map dot nostalgia of “We Got Em,” flipping through a Polaroid photo album of yesteryear as he spoke of kids running through front yard sprinklers, neighbors being good to one another, and backyard BBQ’s popping all while the crowd danced in perfect rhythm and provide a clap along with the melody.

Continuing to showcase his wide repertoire, a 1980’s inspired sound slid into the soulful rhythm and blues tilt of “Spring Break,” while he grabbed hold of a pure, feel-good groove on “Let It Drop,” encouraging the crowd to let go of whatever problems they were dealing with before playing it.

Gratefully sharing pieces of his backstory, talking of the climb it took to reach the album he had just released, and thanking the team that helped get him there, Frank then ignited the entire crowd with his current single “Somebody Else’s Whiskey” as he was showered by them in perfect harmony with every lyric while they danced along with the groove and appropriately raised a glass to their ex, shouting along with Frank when he spit out, “here’s to a real damn good good-bye.”

After softening the set with “Late,” a song he dedicated to his wife and kids who were in the crowd, Frank then struck into his natural, Latin infused party mode with the Spanish flared “Wasting Your Words” before toasting the crowd, introducing the band, and sliding into the hip popping rhythm of the addictive “Streetlights,” which he expertly pulled into “Despacito” amid a tremendous ovation from the crowd.

“I’m very very proud of this body of work that I put out,” Ray shared. “It’s fifteen songs and they are the best representation of who I am as a person and who I am as an artist,” he said as he slowed the upbeat party aura with “Prettiest Girl At The Bar,” fully embracing his traditional country influences on what he described as not necessarily a sad country song, but a “cautionary” tale.

Lifting back up the party to keep it going strong, Ray and his band dripped into the nostalgic laden, modern edged groove of “Back Before My Time,” taking everyone for a three-minute ride in a time machine while keeping the crowd loose and moving side to side as they sang along with him, similar to how they did earlier in the night during “Someone Else’s Whiskey,” as Frank aptly commanded the stage, bouncing across all sides of it while namechecking his heroes Willie, Waylon, and Freddy Fender to huge ovations from the crowd.

After humbly thanking everyone for changing his life with “Country’d Look Good On You,” Frank led a rousing sing along, lighting up the entire crowd as the couples moved closer into one another and straight into each other’s arms for a slow dance sway, heating things up to steamy levels across the dance floor.

“The minute I heard this song, every single lyric spoke to my life I’m living right now,” Frank said. “Since we’ve been out on the road playing, we’ve made some lifelong friendships created by what we’re doing right now…playing songs in a bar! The beauty of music is that it brings everyone together and I hope we can do that with the song,” he gratefully spoke as he offered a heartfelt appreciation to all the first responders in the house before leading one final sing along with the crowd alongside the ultra-catchy, beer raising melody of “Party With Strangers,” aptly encouraging the age old thought of coming in as strangers, but leaving as friends.

And that’s exactly what Frank Ray does, not only on this night but with every show he performs.

Combining the perfect ingredients of catchy songs, memorable lyrics, and unbridled energy is what all the great acts on the country music circuit accomplish night in and night out. However, what makes Frank Ray the guy you want to root for so much, is how he endearingly welcomes each and every member of the crowd into his family on the back of his down-home personality while skillfully grabbing hold of you one note at time.

FULL SET LIST
1) Y'all Showed Up
2) We Got Em
3) Spring Break
4) Let It Drop
5) Somebody Else's Whiskey
6) Late
7) Wasting Your Words
8) Streetlights
9) Prettiest Girl At The Bar
10) Back Before My Time
11) Country’d Look Good On You
12) Party With Strangers

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