“River Song” Is Here: Kyle Ray’s Bluegrass-Laced Reflection on Faith & Self
SOULFUL AMERICANA ARTIST
KYLE RAY
RELEASES INTROSPECTIVE SINGLE
“RIVER SONG”
TODAY
Above: “River Song” Single Artwork
NASHVILLE, TN (May 16, 2025) — Today, Kyle Ray unveils “River Song,” a bluegrass-tinged meditation on self-reflection and spiritual reckoning — his fifth single to date. From the rolling hills of Barren County, Kentucky, Kyle charts his own course through the Americana terrain, blending the raw edge of outlaw country with the heartfelt harmonies of bluegrass, folk, and soul.
Highlighted exclusively via The Bluegrass Situation, “River Song” was born out of a season of personal upheaval — after leaving a security job and realizing he couldn’t afford rent in Boston while studying at Berklee College of Music, Kyle moved back home to Kentucky and took up tree work to get by.
“That summer was rough,” Kyle acknowledges. “I was eating once a day if I was lucky, living off of the tips I was given at work.” A nearby swimming hole became his sanctuary. “No music, no friends — just me, that river, and the Lord. It quickly became a place in my mind I’d run to when times got tough, and I wanted to try and capture what it felt like to sit there and reminisce about my childhood,” he adds.
STREAM “RIVER SONG” HERE.
The track follows Kyle’s April 4 release, “Love Me Tonight” — a heartfelt take on a “right person, wrong time” situation — and struck a nerve fast, landing on Spotify’s “All New Country” and “Fresh Finds Country” playlists. “I was crushing on a girl who, unfortunately, had a boyfriend,” Kyle reveals. “We had a bit of history, and I could tell she liked me back, but she never admitted it. I remember thinking, ‘Well hell, better write about this while the feeling is fresh. Might get something out of it at least.’”
Filmed live at The Umbrella Arts Center in Concord, MA and hosted by Sheryl Crow, the Salt Lick Sessions performance captures the song’s raw emotion. Backed by a tight five-piece band, Kyle delivers every line with soul and grit, blending country heartache with rootsy swagger.
WATCH THE “LOVE ME TONIGHT” LIVE PERFORMANCE VIDEO BELOW:
Kyle Ray brings a new attitude to Americana — one rooted in tradition but unafraid to break the rules. With a raw, unbridled sound and a pen steeped in both beauty and heartbreak, Kyle’s music cuts to the core of the human experience — honest, unapologetic, and deeply felt. He moves effortlessly between weary acoustic ballads and raucous, foot-stomping anthems, capturing the full spectrum of grit and grace.
“I grew up broke and experienced a lot of tragedy in my early life, so I gravitated to music that was in search of truth and spoke of struggle,” Kyle reflects.
Raised on a diverse mix of Motown, doo-wop, gospel, and hill-folk bluegrass, Kyle grew up surrounded by music that spoke to both joy and hardship. His father — a soulful singer and garage mechanic who’d belt out tunes while working under the hood — left a lasting imprint, shaping Kyle’s raw, roots-driven sound. Blending the swagger of rock with the heart of Americana and country, Kyle writes with unflinching truth, drawing from personal experiences of beauty, pain, and faith. “Whether that be the beauty I’ve found, the hurt I’ve felt, or the comfort in the Lord I’ve experienced, I want it written,” he says. His songs carry the weight of his upbringing — from the garage to the mountain folk harmonies of his church — and reflect a life lived deep in the music.
A 2024 Bourbon & Beyond performer and recent Berklee College of Music graduate, Kyle is now setting his sights on Nashville. With new music on the horizon and a growing fanbase, he’s gearing up for a breakout 2025. “At the very least, I hope my music makes people feel seen,” he says. “There’s more coming — more music, more shows, and hopefully more of y’all.”
KYLE RAY UPCOMING SHOWS:
Above: Kyle Ray; Credit: Remington Sage Strecker
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