“The older I get, the more I do this, the more music I release, the more people I get to know and the more I see the types of songs that they truly grab on to, the more I realize: the more real, the better,” Ray Scott tells American Songwriter.
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For Scott, keeping things real has been his stock and trade for the better part of the past two decades. First hitting the country scene in 2005, it didn’t take long for the North Carolina-born songwriter to make a name for himself as a torchbearer for the tradition of honest, down-to-Earth country music first brought into the limelight by the likes of Waylon Jennings and his outlaw peers. Now, in 2021, Scott is back with a new batch of songs proving he’s earned his place as the successor of such a meaningful legacy.
Kicking things off this past June with the double single “Cover The Earth” / “Smilin’ On My Way,” the now-51-year-old artist has been releasing a series of A-side, B-side offerings. On August 13, the latest pair is set to drop: “Valley Like This” and “Old Ways.” The singles come ahead of his new record, Cover The Earth, due September 17.
Outfitted with a classic country arrangement—but with hard-hitting lyrics akin to a Townes Van Zandt or John Prine in a more traditional setting—the singles are equally moving. From the heartfelt themes to the soul-stirring performances and sonic atmospheres, both tunes have a vibrant sense of urgency to them. For his part, Scott attests that his embrace of being as real as possible has been a big inspiration in this new era of his writing.
“If folks can relate to a song—especially on some deep level—it can be very healing, you know?” he says. “It can make people realize that they’re not the only ones going through the trials of life that can be so challenging.”
Starkly honest but with a healthy layer of cathartic country comfort, both of these new tunes embody the best country music has to offer… which is really the heart of what Scott’s trying to accomplish. “That’s one of the things I miss about country music from the old days,” he explains. “Being able to relate to the struggles depicted in the songs is what made me fall in love with it, it’s what made me start writing it. Nowadays, the stuff on the radio is more light-hearted, up-tempo and positive, or whatever the consultants want… but a lot of the stuff I’m hearing is just not the type of stuff that made the format appeal to me in the first place.”
Yet, for as powerful as his embrace of America’s cherished musical style is—an especially relatable feeling for those who truly love classic country—these songs are more than just genre tributes. Rather, they’re lived-in masterpieces documenting Scott’s life in a touchingly candid way. “‘Old Ways’ came from me looking into the mirror and realizing, like, ‘Hey, I was a real dumbass,’” he says. “You have to realize those things to move on from them, so this song recognizes that and acknowledges too that where I am now is a lot better and I’m never going to go back. I think anybody who has ever suffered in life because of their stupid mistakes could relate to that.
“With ‘Valley Like This,’ that one was originally written a few years ago and I’ve been sitting on it for a while because it’s… well, pretty dark,” Scott continues. “It was written during a time when I had some struggles going on with depression… and substance abuse a little bit, which is probably a big part of why I was so depressed. The song came out as just a really honest picture of the way I was thinking at the time.”
After he penned “Valley Like This,” Scott wasn’t so sure he wanted to share it… it’s taken years for him to come to a place where he realizes now just how much potential the song has. “I was just coming from a different headspace on the artistic side of things, so something told me to not let that one out,” he says. “But after this past year and seeing everything folks have been going through with despair and uncertainty and depression and alcoholism… everything sorta seems to be on the rise during this COVID period. So, I thought now would be a good time to put this out. It kinda helps everyone see, like, ‘Hey, we’re all in this together—we’re not alone.’ That’s probably one of the deepest things I’ve written, especially for this batch of songs, but I felt I needed to put it out there.”
Now, with these impactful singles out and more music on the way, Scott is optimistic about the future. “The way I see it, we’re gonna keep moving forward—keep writing, keep recording and keep going out there to play it all live,” he says. “I mean, I keep playing places where I meet new people who are just hearing me for the first time—I’m always new to somebody and that’s kinda what keeps this new for me. That especially drives me on the songwriting side. Anytime I come up with something new that I like, I just get so excited to play it for people and see how it affects them. So, that’s what we’re gonna keep doing.”
Ray Scott’s new double single “Valley Like This” / “Old Ways” is out now—listen to them below:
