Story Behind the Song: Michael Ray, ‘Dancing Forever’
Michael Ray's ballad "Dancing Forever" was inspired by the support his family and friends have offered over the course of his musical career. However, one deeply personal image sticks out to Ray when he hears the song, written by Ross Copperman and Shane McAnally along with Old Dominion's Matthew Ramsey and Trevor Rosen. Read on to learn more, in Ray's own words.
I was very fortunate to have my dad, my grandfather Amos, my mom, my sisters and people in my hometown that just wanted to see me move to Nashville and be a part of that dream with me. When I was playing bars for four hours a night and learning how to play country music, people in my hometown were showing up. So I cut a song for them.
And then, as I was going through the lyrics of it, my little sister is -- and I have to say this in the correct way, because fans will put it on video and she's like, "Will you please stop making me look like I can't get a boyfriend?!" -- but she's single. One day, one very lucky man will get to marry her -- one very brave, but very lucky, man. So this song took on a whole new meaning to me. [I imagine] a picture of my dad dancing with my little sister, who's his youngest daughter, to this song.
I think, in any journey we have, we need those people who just wanna see us dance forever. They don't want anything from us except to go, "Man, let's watch them do it." That's what this song's all about.
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