On his single “Raised On Country,” he said, “This marked the first time that I put out a song that I wrote on the road as a single. The fact that we got to it, and that it’s a Top 10 single, is amazing.”
Young also recorded the song “Town Ain’t Big Enough” as a duet with country songstress Lauren Alaina. “That was quite different. We knew we could make a killer duet out of it, and Lauren Alaina was the first person that I asked to sing it with me. She loved it and it all worked out. Lauren has an incredible voice,” he said.
He acknowledged that the tour has been “amazing” so far, especially since he set many personal records with it. “It has been just wild,” he said, praising the outcome of the tour.
Young shared that his songwriting is inspired by real life. “Every now and then, I draw from other people’s experiences but most of the time, my songwriting comes from my life and the things I’ve been through,” he said.
He shared that the new song “Drowning” was written about a buddy of his that passed away unexpectedly. “When I sat down and wrote about that, it was a very cathartic process. To have something meaningful to me mean something to other people is really cathartic,” he said.
He shared that he would love to someday record a dream duet with Carrie Underwood since she’s a “powerhouse vocalist.” He also thanked Martina McBride for being the “first person” to ever take him on tour. “That was a long time ago, but it was really cool. That was awesome,” he said.
Digital transformation of the country music business
On being a country artist in this digital age, Young said, “It’s a lot of fun for me. This is the earliest I’ve ever been able to get multiple songs out to people so they can consume them. I love it. The album is done so the earlier I can play it for people, the better.”
Regarding the recent passage of the Music Modernization Act (MMA), he said, “It’s a good thing. It’s a step in the right direction for sure.”
He concluded by thanking his fans and encouraging them to see him on the road while on the “Raised On Country” Tour, which he described as his biggest and finest tour to date.
In October of 2017, Young officially became a member of the hallowed Grand Ole Opry, which was quite emotional for him. “Obviously, it is a really cool family to be a part of,” he said. “I am glad they wanted me to be in there. To get asked by Vince Gill was a huge honor.”
For young and aspiring country singers, he said, “Write as much as you can and play as much as you can. There are a lot of great songwriters, but if you learn to become a great songwriter you won’t ever have to look for a great song again, you can just write one.”
In the little spare time that he has, Young enjoys spending it with friends and watching new movies. “I have a really great circle of close friends,” he said.
Young defined the word success as “being to the point where I can extend a tour.” “We just announced that I am extending this tour to the fall and it’s a hallmark of how things are going. This tour, in general, is a success to me, and hopefully, I will continue forward for a long time,” he said.
“Raised on Country” by Chris Young is available on iTunes and on Spotify.
To learn more about country star Chris Young, check out his official website and his Facebook page.
