I have known Eustis native Michael Ray for over 22 years easily. When he was playing local clubs and had made an independent album in 2010 we would get requests at the radio station to play he music. We were like Michael Who? We couldn’t play his stuff until he got signed by a national record label. Well Michael went and became a contestant on the singing competition show “The Next: Fame Is At Your Doorstep”. He was mentored by John Rich of Big & Rich fame and he had a friendship with Jeff Bates. I was emceeing a Jeff Bates concert in Chiefland the night Michael won The Next. I found out because Jeff Bates was on the phone with him and found out and told everybody at the show that Michael had won. After he won The Next his dream came true and he was signed by the legendary record label Warner Brothers Records-Nashville. This picture was taken backstage at a show in Nashville soon after he won The Next. In 2015 his debut single “Kiss You In The Morning” went to # 1. I was in Eustis with Michael for the video shoot of the single. In 2020 he got his 2nd # 1 with “Whiskey And Rain” and he just released his new single “Holy Water” inspired from a church in his area where he grew up. It is very cool to have a guy that grew up listening to K-COUNTRY have such a successful career and he has been a big supporter of our radio station. I look forward to seeing him on the road soon!