Michael Ray admits that the last few years of his life haven't been easy, having lost a couple of loved ones and gone through a very public divorce from fellow artist Carly Pearce. The result was a great deal of anger and depression, for which he sought professional help and even moved from Nashville to his new hometown of Dallas, Georgia.
He told People.com, “It's allowed me to get back to my roots. All of a sudden, you're in a creative place because your mind isn’t so cluttered.”
Michael's journey over the last few years is reflected in his new EP, Dive Bars & Broken Hearts, due out on Friday (June 23rd). He told the outlet, “Everything I went through the last three years got me mentally ready for where I'm at now. I am not at all the same person that I was then. It gave me confidence. This record is, in every way, what I’ve been through the last few years, just me as a person and going through what really matters in life. I don't think I've ever been more excited for music to come out.”