Rooted in the grit of outlaw country and lifted by the soulful harmonies of bluegrass, folk, and Americana, Kentucky native Kyle Ray releases his debut 5-track EP, This Will End In Tears, today. A recent Berklee College of Music graduate and featured performer at the 2024 Bourbon & Beyond Festival, Kyle Ray steps into this new chapter with a refined voice, a clear creative vision, and a sound that feels both timeless and unmistakably his own.
STREAM THIS WILL END IN TEARS HERE.
Kyle injects a fresh edge into Americana. With a raw, unbridled sound and a pen steeped in both beauty and heartbreak, his 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. Kyle’s 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.
“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. “Whether it’s the beauty I’ve found, the hurt I’ve felt, or the comfort I’ve experienced in the Lord, I want it written.”
Released on May 16, Kyle’s latest single from the EP, “River Song,” is a bluegrass-tinged meditation on self-discovery and spiritual reckoning — marking his fifth single to date. Exclusively highlighted by The Bluegrass Situation, featured in Holler’s new music roundup, and added to Spotify’s “All New Country,” Apple Music’s “New in Americana,” and Amazon Music’s “Pickin’ On” playlists, “River Song” emerged from a period of personal upheaval. After leaving a security job and struggling to afford rent in Boston, Kyle returned home to Kentucky and took up tree work to make ends meet.
STREAM “RIVER SONG” HERE.
Released on April 4, Kyle Ray’s single “Love Me Tonight” — a heartfelt take on a “right person, wrong time” situation — quickly resonated with listeners, earning placements on Spotify’s “All New Country” and “Fresh Finds Country” playlists. “I was crushing on a girl who, unfortunately, had a boyfriend,” Kyle shares. “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.’” That sense of emotional immediacy comes through in his Salt Lick Sessions performance, filmed live at The Umbrella Arts Center in Concord, MA and hosted by Sheryl Crow. Backed by a five-piece band, Ray delivers the track with soul and grit, blending country heartache with rootsy swagger.
