Texican Country

Sitting indoors at any venue along Nashville's Lower Broadway Friday morning during the peak of CMA Fest 2023 is a great place to spot country music royalty in the wild. June 8-11 marked country music’s invasion of Music City.

The 100-degree pre-summer temperatures beyond the roof-top bars’ entrance doors make the celebrity watch a bit more of a sport. Country Music superstars such as Carly Pearce and Luke Combs are in a near sprint as they run inside to cooler and fresher surroundings.

Among those making a mad dash indoors is a guy wearing white joggers, a bright orange and black Hawaiian shirt, and a black snapback ball cap. It's Frank Ray, one of the headliners for the CMA Fest concert today, whose big smile indicates that even the scorching heat isn't going to keep him from burning up the Dr. Pepper Amp Stage.

I sat down to talk with Frank Ray Gomez and asked the 33-year-old former police officer about his life-changing decision to trade in his badge, uniform, and the profession that had long been his dream to pursue his passion.

"On my last day as an officer for the Las Cruces Police Department, I picked up my CB radio and sent out an emotional and tear-filled goodbye to my fellow officers, thanking them for all their support and urging them to please stay safe out there,” said Gomez.

He was born in New Mexico and raised between his home state and Texas. Gomez—known as Frank Ray on stage—says he was deeply influenced by the Mexican music of his culture and 90s country, regarded as the genre's golden era.

He said his love for country music began early. He spent his childhood emulating his idols—George Strait, Freddy Fender, Tracy Lawrence, and Rick Treviño—singing and performing whenever he could. He eventually made the practical decision to pursue a career in law enforcement, seemingly leaving his country music dreams behind.

"Ten years into my law enforcement career, I thought my time to shine as a country music artist had passed. I considered focusing solely on songwriting, but fate had other plans after I opened for Keith Urban at a local concert and caught the eye of a local promoter."

Gomez’s career took flight, and he began to make a name for himself on Texas country radio and the Texas dance hall and club circuit.

Despite his newfound musical success, there was one problem: Gomez was still a police officer. However, his wife's unwavering support eventually led him to commit to his music career fully.

“She's why I made my Grand Ole Opry debut in November 2021, and she's why I'm playing CMA Fest tonight. Without Emily, there's no Frank Ray in country music."

Since Gomez signed with BBR Music Group’s Stoney Creek Records in 2021, he said he's begun to see his dreams materialize. He started with successfully releasing the visualizer for his Latin-infused country track "Streetlights," followed by his Top 20 hit in the Fall of 2022, "Country'd Look Good On You." His current single, "Somebody Else's Whiskey," is country music radio's most added single the week ending March 10th and is anticipated to give Gomez his first Top 10 hit on Billboard’s Country Chart.

Gomez told me that he and his team strive for his brand of country music to have a distinct Latin flavor. “I want my music to be authentic to all my traditions and influences.”

These cherished customs embody the essence of Freddy Fender's quintessential mid-1970s masterpieces, such as the poignant "Before the Next Teardrop Falls." Gomez's artistic perception is steeped in the melodious legacy inherited from Vicente Fernández's ranchera classics. Tracy Lawrence's golden hues of '90s country music are also vital to Gomez's music.