Introducing Chris Young
By: Cheryl Harvey Hill, Sr. Staff Journalist
Whether you see Chris Young on television or hear him on the radio the first time, you’ll know you are hearing someone who has felt the pull of country music since birth. His smooth baritone voice blends with a unique songwriting style to produce someone who is immediately both old and new country. Although he’s appeared on both national television and radio several times, Young says his most memorable television appearance was (where else?) on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. As a national finalist in the Country Showdown at age fifteen, he stepped onto the famous circle of stage from the Ryman and up to the microphone to sing the first song he ever wrote. At that moment, he says, he knew in his heart he would become a country singer/songwriter.
Vocally, he has the ability to sing any type of music and has proven it, but he still chooses country. Young was even named a 2003 United States Presidential Scholar in the Arts in Vocal Music (there were only 2 nationwide out of 2.9 million graduating seniors). As part of that honor, he performed at The Kennedy Center in Washington and was awarded a special medal by First Lady Laura Bush and Rod Paige, U.S. Secretary of Education, on behalf of President Bush. He was also the only bass in the six member Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Choir for the 2003 Grammy awards (the group performed at The Official Grammy Nominee Party, The Jazz Standard, the world famous Apollo Theater, the Knitting Factory, recorded at The Hit Factory, and did a short set on the CBS Early Morning Show).
However, nothing detracts from Young's single-minded goal to be a country entertainer. He did a call-in interview to Bill Cody on WSM from New York during Grammy week where he was asked if he intended to give up country music for jazz. Chris's answer was, "How can you listen to Marty Robbins, George Jones, Darryl Worley, Lefty Frizzell, Joe Nichols, and then ask me a question like that? I love all music, but country music is what I am."
2003 sparked a very busy year for Young, when he began an independent, acoustic tour of Borders® stores nationwide. He’s traveled from San Diego to Wichita to Jacksonville, making lots of other stops and new fans in between. Watch for him at a Borders® location near you and be sure to stop by his booth in the Exhibit Hall at Fan Fair / CMA Music Fest (www.fanfair.com) in Nashville June 10-13, 2004!
Chris Young - A Little At A Time (debut album - 2003)
Album review by Cheryl Harvey Hill, Sr. Staff Journalist
Every once in a while someone comes along that really rings my bell and easily sets themselves apart from the others. Since part of my job involves listening to albums every day, I have long ago passed the place where I'm easily impressed. To get my attention, a voice has to be one that slides over your psyche as easily as butter melts on a hot griddle ... a voice like Merle Haggard, Randy Travis or Joe Nichols. In fact, the last new artist that managed to impress me enough that I loudly predicted he would be a superstar, actually was Joe Nichols (I am pleased to be able to say that he has lived up to my predictions and expectations.)
Well, it has happened again. Among the large stack of new artist CDs that I have been listening to, one has clearly set itself apart from the rest, and I am ready to try my hand at predicting another superstar.
His name is Chris Young; his performance credits cover more than two pages and include the Grand Ole Opry, the Apollo Theatre, the Grammy's and the Kennedy Center - where he was honored as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. That, in and of itself, is a major accomplishment.
Equally as impressive as his voice is the fact that Young clearly has the ambition to match his charismatic personality, handsome good looks and extraordinary talent. He has been performing for more than ten years and he isn't out of his teens yet. Although he has performed in every genre of music, including rap and musical theatre, country music - lucky for us - is his passion.
A Little At A Time, his debut CD, contains eight songs and Young had a hand in writing four of them, including the title song. Not surprisingly, when you consider all of his other talents, he also co-produced the album. Any one of the songs on this album is capable of making him a household name, but it was "Win Some, Lose Some, Lonesome" that first grabbed my undivided attention and caused the word "Superstar" to pop up in my subconscious. Not only because it is such a great song, but because I really love the way Young wraps his voice around every little ole syllable so effortlessly. When you hear how he draws out that last "lo-oh-oh-ohnsome," you will know exactly what I mean. There is a depth of emotion in his voice that belies his chronological age. His, must be a very old soul to be on such familiar ground with so much passion. On the beautiful ballad "Just Thoughts," which he co-wrote, the emotion in his voice lifts your heart right up to your throat and sets you up for an emotional free fall. He manages to do that again in "Let It Rain."
I could go on and on about this bright new star rising on the Music City horizon, but I'm not going to. I'll just say this ... his name is Chris Young - The name is easy to remember and the voice is impossible to forget.
Whether you see Chris Young on television or hear him on the radio the first time, you’ll know you are hearing someone who has felt the pull of country music since birth. His smooth baritone voice blends with a unique songwriting style to produce someone who is immediately both old and new country. Although he’s appeared on both national television and radio several times, Young says his most memorable television appearance was (where else?) on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. As a national finalist in the Country Showdown at age fifteen, he stepped onto the famous circle of stage from the Ryman and up to the microphone to sing the first song he ever wrote. At that moment, he says, he knew in his heart he would become a country singer/songwriter.
Vocally, he has the ability to sing any type of music and has proven it, but he still chooses country. Young was even named a 2003 United States Presidential Scholar in the Arts in Vocal Music (there were only 2 nationwide out of 2.9 million graduating seniors). As part of that honor, he performed at The Kennedy Center in Washington and was awarded a special medal by First Lady Laura Bush and Rod Paige, U.S. Secretary of Education, on behalf of President Bush. He was also the only bass in the six member Gibson/Baldwin Jazz Choir for the 2003 Grammy awards (the group performed at The Official Grammy Nominee Party, The Jazz Standard, the world famous Apollo Theater, the Knitting Factory, recorded at The Hit Factory, and did a short set on the CBS Early Morning Show).
However, nothing detracts from Young's single-minded goal to be a country entertainer. He did a call-in interview to Bill Cody on WSM from New York during Grammy week where he was asked if he intended to give up country music for jazz. Chris's answer was, "How can you listen to Marty Robbins, George Jones, Darryl Worley, Lefty Frizzell, Joe Nichols, and then ask me a question like that? I love all music, but country music is what I am."
2003 sparked a very busy year for Young, when he began an independent, acoustic tour of Borders® stores nationwide. He’s traveled from San Diego to Wichita to Jacksonville, making lots of other stops and new fans in between. Watch for him at a Borders® location near you and be sure to stop by his booth in the Exhibit Hall at Fan Fair / CMA Music Fest (www.fanfair.com) in Nashville June 10-13, 2004!
Chris Young - A Little At A Time (debut album - 2003)
Album review by Cheryl Harvey Hill, Sr. Staff Journalist
Every once in a while someone comes along that really rings my bell and easily sets themselves apart from the others. Since part of my job involves listening to albums every day, I have long ago passed the place where I'm easily impressed. To get my attention, a voice has to be one that slides over your psyche as easily as butter melts on a hot griddle ... a voice like Merle Haggard, Randy Travis or Joe Nichols. In fact, the last new artist that managed to impress me enough that I loudly predicted he would be a superstar, actually was Joe Nichols (I am pleased to be able to say that he has lived up to my predictions and expectations.)
Well, it has happened again. Among the large stack of new artist CDs that I have been listening to, one has clearly set itself apart from the rest, and I am ready to try my hand at predicting another superstar.
His name is Chris Young; his performance credits cover more than two pages and include the Grand Ole Opry, the Apollo Theatre, the Grammy's and the Kennedy Center - where he was honored as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. That, in and of itself, is a major accomplishment.
Equally as impressive as his voice is the fact that Young clearly has the ambition to match his charismatic personality, handsome good looks and extraordinary talent. He has been performing for more than ten years and he isn't out of his teens yet. Although he has performed in every genre of music, including rap and musical theatre, country music - lucky for us - is his passion.
A Little At A Time, his debut CD, contains eight songs and Young had a hand in writing four of them, including the title song. Not surprisingly, when you consider all of his other talents, he also co-produced the album. Any one of the songs on this album is capable of making him a household name, but it was "Win Some, Lose Some, Lonesome" that first grabbed my undivided attention and caused the word "Superstar" to pop up in my subconscious. Not only because it is such a great song, but because I really love the way Young wraps his voice around every little ole syllable so effortlessly. When you hear how he draws out that last "lo-oh-oh-ohnsome," you will know exactly what I mean. There is a depth of emotion in his voice that belies his chronological age. His, must be a very old soul to be on such familiar ground with so much passion. On the beautiful ballad "Just Thoughts," which he co-wrote, the emotion in his voice lifts your heart right up to your throat and sets you up for an emotional free fall. He manages to do that again in "Let It Rain."
I could go on and on about this bright new star rising on the Music City horizon, but I'm not going to. I'll just say this ... his name is Chris Young - The name is easy to remember and the voice is impossible to forget.
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