What’s Happening?
Award-winning Toowoomba singer-songwriter Sue Ray is releasing Before The Rain, the title track from her forthcoming album.
The song combines heartfelt writing, rich vocals and storytelling shaped by alt-country, southern rock and traditional blues.
Ray will celebrate the release with a special performance at The Empire Theatre’s Church Theatre in Toowoomba. The event is being presented in collaboration with Queensland Fringe Festival.
Why It Matters
The single begins Ray’s new album campaign while keeping its first major performance rooted in Toowoomba. It also brings together a Nashville recording team and an artist recognised across Queensland and independent Australian music.
The song gives listeners an early sense of the forthcoming album’s emotional and musical direction.
Local Impact
Toowoomba audiences will host the single launch at one of the city’s best-known performance venues.
The Church Theatre show places Ray’s home region at the centre of a national release campaign. The collaboration also connects Toowoomba’s live music scene with Queensland Fringe Festival.
By The Numbers
The release combines a firm launch date, major industry credits and a long record of recognition.
- Before The Rain will reach all major streaming platforms on Friday, 7 August 2026. Ray will launch it in Toowoomba that day.
- Sound engineer Sean Sullivan is a five-time Grammy Award winner.
- Ray has won three Queensland Music Awards and received an AIR Independent Music Awards nomination for Best Country Album.
- She was also a semi-finalist in the 2023 International Songwriting Competition.
Zoom In
Ray recorded the track in Nashville with Sullivan and producer Mike Lopinto, known for his work with Chris Stapleton’s band.
The recording marks a new phase in Ray’s career, combining her established sound with an experienced Nashville production team.
Ray described the song as the emotional centre of the coming album. “This song is the emotional heartbeat of the album,” Ray said. “It captures the quiet strength we find in moments of reflection, just before change arrives.”
Ray’s guitar and harmonica shape her live performances, which span tender ballads and rousing anthems.
Her music is rooted in alt-country and southern rock, with links to outlaw country and traditional blues. Those early influences have helped Ray form a sound that is clearly her own.
Zoom Out
Ray has built a wide performance history across Australian venues, festivals and international events.
She has performed alongside Vika & Linda, Luka Bloom, Carol Lloyd, Rick Price, Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham. Other shared bills include Kutcha Edwards, James Blundell, Kate Ceberano, Liz Stringer, Mental As Anything and Nashville Pussy.
She has also appeared with The Deltaz, Minor Gold, Darren Hanlon, Katie Noonan and Brad Butcher.
Her festival credits include the Gympie Muster, Woodford Folk Festival, BIGSOUND, Groundwater and Dashville. She has also played Tamworth Country Music Festival, Blues on Broadbeach and Urban Country Music Festival.
Her Nashville appearances include the Americana Music Conference and International Film Festival. The forthcoming album is described as Ray’s most realised work, reflecting her growth and commitment to independent creative control.
Carol Lloyd praised Ray’s songwriting, technical skill, production work and connection with audiences.
“In my 40+ years as a Singer/Songwriter and recording artist for Polydor, EMI and RCA, I don’t recall ever seeing an artist who was so much the ‘total package’. This woman has great technical and production technique, and an enormous depth of songwriting and performance talent, which sees her lyrics, melodies and arrangements connect her with her audience in a profoundly stimulating and emotive way. Her album ‘Red Roses’ remains in my car playlist and is one of my favourite albums of all time,” Lloyd said.
What To Look For Next?
After Toowoomba, Ray will perform at The Cave Inn in Brisbane, the Gympie Muster and Brisbane Festival. For further album details, check HERE.
You can also check her social medua updates @sueraymusic
