Michael Ray

Ray says the song has similarities to his family's history.

The party kicks off in early June.

The people in the music video are Ray's real-life church congregation.

All of last year's emotions caught up to him.

"My grandmother asked to do a shot, and so, I did a shot with my grandmother, and when she set it down, she goes [to my grandfather], 'Amos, this tastes like the moonshine we used to run' ..."

"It's a song just about being from my hometown and not really knowing that people do things different around the world until you travel around the world ..."

I was really nervous to ask him about the song he wrote about his late uncle, but when I did, his answer was so raw and genuine.

Ray explains how he hooked the multi-genre veteran for "Higher Education," the title track from his new EP.

Michael Ray's new EP, 'Higher Education', is due out on Aug. 27.

"It's probably the most personal song I've ever written ..."