Chris Young

[Kim]

Chris Young: Miranda Lambert Tour Filled With Dog Days


Chris Young's life has gone to the dogs while he's opening for Miranda Lambert.

The singer knew about Miranda's deep, abiding love for all four-legged friends, but he didn't know how many would be accompanying her on the road. "They rotate in and out," Chris tells The Boot. "She has her two dogs, Delta and Cher, that are on the road all the time, but every couple of weeks, we'll have another dog out that will be hanging out. She has great animals, too, she's definitely an animal person."

Chris has nothing but praise for how Miranda treats all creatures on tour. "She goes out of her way to make people on her tour feel not just welcome but feel like they have the run of the place," Chris says, "So it's fun being out there and her crowd's great. They're losing their mind every night."

As his fans know, after never reaching above No. 37 on the Billboard Country Songs chart, Chris has scored five No. 1 songs in a row starting with 2009's "Getting You Home (The Black Dress Song)." It's an accomplishment few artists have achieved. With "Neon," the title track from his current album on the rise, Chris says he can't lose his mind worrying about if it will hit the summit as well.

"If you think like that, it's just too much stress," he admits. "I'm glad we've got 'Neon' out as a single. I'm just fired up to have another song on the radio and have the title track of the album out there."

Chris co-wrote four of his five No. 1s, but did not write "Neon." "I just want to find the best songs," he says. "I don't care if I don't write a thing on my record. I love being a songwriter, but I try and keep that separate from what I do as an artist."

Chris continues his travels with Miranda and the On Fire tour. The trek hits Fresno, Calif. on April 26.

www.theboot.com/2012/04/25/chris-young-miranda-lambert-tour/

[Kim]

Q&A: Chris Young On Songwriting


Country music superstar Chris Young, the Dream Co-Write for our 2011 Lyric Contest Grand Prize winner Bill DiLuigi, discusses his approach to songwriting, and what he considers the perfect song. Enter the latest Lyric Contest here for your chance to win a Dream Co-Write.

www.americansongwriter.com/2012/04/enter-the-julyaugust-2012-lyric-contest-2/

Watch the Video of DiLuigi and Young’s Co-Writing Session:

www.americansongwriter.com/2012/04/bill-dee-teams-with-chris-young-for-dream-co-write-records-at-sound-kitchen/

How old were you when you first started writing songs?

I got kind of a late start writing songs. While I might have written some lyrics down, the first song I ever wrote and finished was when I was 13. From there my songwriting grew over time.

Who are some artists that inspired you to start writing?

Growing up, I would always look at the liner notes in CDs to see who wrote what songs. Keith Whitley was and is one of my favorite artists, and Alan Jackson is to me the quintessential singer/songwriter in country music.

What’s a song on Neon you’re especially proud of?

I’m really proud of the song “Tomorrow” that I wrote with Frank Myers and Anthony Smith. It was the first time that we wrote a song, finished it and knew without a doubt it would be the first single we’d release from the new album.

What do you look for in a co-writer?

I don’t have any reservations about who I will or won’t write with because you never know when the combination is going to be perfect. Generally I like writing with someone who I can sit around and talk with and have fun with for the first 30 or so minutes, where we stumble on an idea and see what comes of it.

What’s a lyric on Neon you’re really into?

The lyric “Like a hymn in a cathedral hall, watchin’ April snow flakes fall” from the last track on Neon, “She’s Got This Thing About Her.” I wrote the song with Cory Batten and Kent Blazy.

Do you revise a lot, or do you like to write automatically?

Well, every song is different but I don’t revise very often. ‘Voices,’ which I wrote with Chris Tompkins and Craig Wiseman, is one that got revised quite a bit but it ended up being a good thing since the song became my third #1 single and broke a 25-year Billboard chart record.

What’s a song of yours that’s really touched people?

I’ve heard from a lot of people how the lyric and message of “Voices” has really had an impact.

What advice do you have for aspiring songwriters?

If you’re wanting to become a songwriter, start writing as early and as often as possible.

What do you consider to be the perfect song?

I love how Kenny Chesney’s “The Good Stuff” unfolds. The melody and how the story is crafted, it all goes places you wouldn’t expect. It’s an extremely well written song in all aspects, top to bottom.

www.americansongwriter.com/2012/04/qa-chris-young-on-songwriting/

[Kim]

Chris Young, ‘Neon’ – Lyrics Uncovered


The lyrics to Chris Young‘s new hit on the rise, ‘Neon,’ might appear to be tricky, as only so many words rhyme with “neon.” But the song’s three writers — Trevor Rosen, Josh Osborne and Shane McAnally — crafted it in such a way that it works. Young snagged the tune for his third studio album, which he named after the song.

“Josh, Shane and I were writing in my living room one day,” Rosen tells Taste of Country, speaking of the day the trio wrote the tune. “Shane was going through some titles and song ideas he had, like he often does when we get ready to write. We paused when he said ‘Neon’ and we talked about what that title might be about for a couple minutes. Then he kept going with some more titles. At one point, Josh and I said, ‘You know … there’s something to that ‘Neon’ idea,’ and we started singing all these different rhymes for the word ‘neon,’ which ended up being the main structure of the chorus.”

“Neon, the light they always leave on / A weekend on the rocks / And an old school jukebox / With a little Johnny Lee on / The buzz I love to be on / You put a double on your troubles / The light at this end of the tunnel is Neon,” they wrote as the lyrics for the ‘Neon’ chorus.

“I don’t remember who came up with it, but when we got the rhyme ‘with a little Johnny Lee on,’ we knew we were all in and off to the races,” Rosen adds with a smile. “I remember starting to chunk on the verse melody, and the line, ‘The sky in Cheyenne, Wyoming is just about as blue as it gets,’ kind of fell right out. We immediately jumped on board and started painting scenes about other colors, too.”

“The sky in Cheyenne, Wyoming / Is just about as blue as it gets / And if you ain’t seen a Santa Fe sunset / You ain’t seen red / Texas sunflower yellow / Can take your breath away / I’ve seen it all / From the orange of the fall / To the green of the summer,” they wrote in the song’s opening lyrics.

“It’s funny because I remember writing the song as clear as day, but at the time it’s happening you could never predict in a million years that the ideas and melodies you’re throwing out to your friends in your living room on any given day are eventually going to turn into a song that gets cut by a major artist and gets played on the radio,” he says, beaming. “I guess that’s part of what keeps us so excited to do it every day — you just never know. We love finding those ideas to write about that aren’t your typical ideas, be it a love song or heartbreak song, etc. I think that’s why a song about being drawn to the neon — a love song to a bar — really intrigued us.”

“When we finished it, of course we were like, ‘We gotta get this to George Strait right away!’” Rosen continues. “Celia at Black River, Josh’s publishing company, actually pitched the work tape we made that day to Chris Young, and he put it on hold just from hearing the work tape. Chris did such an amazing job on the song, we look back now and are so thankful he got to hear it before George or anybody else, because we can’t imagine the song being in better hands! It’s funny how one little word idea that Shane casually jotted down on his phone could lead to what it has.”

tasteofcountry.com/chris-young-neon-lyrics/

[Kim]

Chris Young is probably one of the hottest male vocalists in country music right now. Hefs got a string of number one singles, five to be exact, along with a couple ACM and CMA nominations under his belt. His recent album, Neon, was one of 2011Œs most critically acclaimed albums (it landed on ATCfs Best Albums of the Year list) and has spawned two of those five straight number one singles. Will the albumfs title track make it the singerfs sixth consecutive chart-topper?

Is it just me or are most of the singles being sent to country radio are actually good?? The latest singles from David Nail, Easton Corbin, and Thompson Square are some of the best singles so far this year. Now we can add Chris Youngfs gNeonh to the list of outstanding singles.

What Ifve always enjoyed most about Chris Young as an artist is his ability to stay strictly country. gNeonh is no different as the song oozes traditional country from the opening note to the closing chords. The production revolves almost entirely around the beautiful sound of the steel guitar, which always remains the focal point. Add in a slight fiddle, electric guitar, and a bit of piano and youfve got yourself one heck of a honky-tonk ballad.

Songwriters Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne and Trevor Rosen use superb imagery to bring this ode to bars to life. From the opening verse about various colors (gthe sky in Cheyenne, Wyoming is just about as blue as it gets, and if you ainft seen a Santa Fe sunset you ainft seen redh) to the stellar chorus (gneon the light they always leave on, a weekend on the rocks, an old school jukebox with a little Johnny Lee onch), the song provides some of the most well written and creative lyrics Ifve heard in a country ballad. The songfs lyrics, though, would be nothing without the smooth vocals from Young. Judging by the vocals hefs laid down on every album, I donft think wefve ever heard the country crooner belt out a sour note. Which is why itfs no surprise that the brilliant balladeer provides an incredibly controlled vocal performance that shows off nearly every facet of the singerfs vocal range.

All in all this is another stellar single from one of todayfs most consistent male country artists. Look for this song to climb up the charts just as fast, if not quicker, than his previous chart-toppers. And if it doesnft, then shame on country radio for letting an incredible single like this not be heard.



allthingscountrymusic.com/2012/05/10/chris-young-neon-2/

[Kim]

Chris Young – ChrisYoungMusic: Pucker up… #dayoff

[Kim]

This is hilarious!




Chris Young – ChrisYoungMusic: Someone just saw this and sent it to me… I have never laughed so hard in my life

[Kim]

Chris Young Tour Bus Almost Catches Fire


One club that singer Chris Young doesn’t want membership in is the ‘Bus on Fire’ club. In recent months, the likes of Jerrod Niemann and Lee Brice have witnessed their tour vehicles fall victim to fiery blazes. Young was almost among their ranks last Friday (June 30), when his vehicle caught fire in Charlotte, N.C.
Country Weekly reports that Young was on his bus when the tour manager boarded the vehicle and demanded that everyone grab their essentials and evacuate. Sounds scary, right?

“It was about five seconds from being in flames,” Young said, recalling the near-miss. “There was smoke coming out of the back of it, and it was red. We put it out with a fire extinguisher. Thank God we did.” It’s a good thing his tour manager was so quick to react and thought on his feet, because judging from that description, things could have gone horribly, horribly wrong.

Now that the incident is in the rear view, Young was a little more light-hearted about it, saying, “Yeah, I don’t want to join the ‘Bus on Fire Club.’ I’m OK not being in that one.”

We’re glad to hear that everyone and their personal effects and belonging are okay.

[Kim]

Chris Young Kisses A…Moose!



Instagram


Chris Young may be one of country music’s most eligible bachelors, but the singer recently planted a smooch on an unlikely recipient: a stuffed moose.

Young shared a photo of himself laying one on what appears to be a taxidermied moose on Instagram, which was clearly meant for laughs.

He posted: “Just chilling in Colorado… Me and my moose…”

If this photo doesn’t make you hurl with laughter, then we’re not sure much else will. This is the kind of thing that happens on a Friday night when you’re on tour and you’ve got social media at your disposal. You share nonsensical photos with your legion of fans.

Some female fans immediately tweeted back that they wanted to swap spots with the moose. No surprise there.

It’s certainly a silly pic of Young and his pal. No need to be jealous of this preserved creature, though, ladies. It’s all in good fun. In fairytales, women kiss frogs, so why can’t dudes kiss moose?

Chris Young fans should be sure and tune into this week’s (Jan. 23) episode of ‘Nashville.’ He is slated to make a cameo as himself along with Brantley Gilbert. Make yourself a smartphone reminder, stat.

[Kim]

Chris Young ‘Married’ His Sister

www.katiecouric.com/on-the-show/2013/02/13/katie-goes-country/
Watch video on link above


Chris Young, who enjoyed a sold out show in New York City this week, stopped by ‘Katie’ to chat with host Katie Couric about the single life, the road life, groupies and the subtle pressure his grandmother has put on him to settle down. He also revealed that he married his sister. Wait, what?

Relax, he didn’t mean it like that, although Katie was totally flabbergasted when Young declared that he married his sister Dot. However, the singer quickly clarified that he officiated the ceremony, since he went and obtained a license to do so. What a good brother Chris Young is.

Once he made it clear that he performed the nuptials, Couric burst into giggles for not realizing that’s what he meant sooner. It was a cute moment.

As a successful and good-looking 27-year-old man who happens to be a country superstar, Young revealed that there is no shortage of underwear ending up on stage from the ladies in the audience who are interested in him. So he isn’t ready to settle down, despite his mom wanting grandkids and the fact that he has to put up with grandma grilling him over the holidays!

“Thank God my sister had a baby,” he said, revealing that she helped take some of the pressure off within the family. “Christmas and Thanksgiving with my family is a big event, with all the aunts, uncles and cousins. My grandmother was so smooth. I am getting food, in the kitchen, and it’s just me and her, and she’s like, ‘You getting anybody a ring any time soon?’ So, there is still pressure.”

All in good time, Chris!