C hris Young has fans. There’s no doubting that, as the RCA recording artist has steadily built one of the most successful careers by appealing to fans from all over. Some of his fans are artists themselves.
On a recent broadcast of WSM Radio in Nashville, legendary Opry star Jeannie Seely featured some of her favorites among the newer artists. One act that she beamed about was Young, saying that many of the artists there appreciated Young’s music and when he guest starred on the show.
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How do those words make Young feel?
“To me, that’s very flattering,” says the Middle Tennessee native. “Obviously, I grew up on the Opry, and it’s something that I’m very high on getting to play. I put it up there on a pedestal, and I believe that everyone in country music does. It’s a big deal. The fact they keep asking me back, and the fact that many of the veteran members like what I’m doing is a good feeling.”
And, they do keep asking him back. Young has made many appearances on the show. What if management extended an invitation to join the show’s cast?
“Well, I wouldn’t turn it down,” said Young. “I think that’s something that is a case of when it’s your time, it’s your time. It’s not something that you necessarily lobby for, but it is something that is in my mind – something I would like to add to my bucket list – as far as being an artist,” he told Billboard’s The 615 in an exclusive interview.
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Whether Opry membership comes now or later, things are going pretty well in the life and career of Young. For one thing, his current single, “You,” has just this week reached the top of the Country Songs chart — his fifth No. 1 single.
“I am ecstatic,” Young told Billboard upon hearing the news. “I’ve been excited for each No. 1 and to have five in a row feels amazing!”
On top of chart prolific chart success, he can also be seen sharing the stage with Miranda Lambert on her current “On Fire” tour.
“I couldn’t have drawn it up any better, and it’s happening all on its’ own,” he says with a smile. “We were lucky enough to get that spot on the Miranda Lambert tour, and I’ve become really close to her — not just because we have the same management, but because I love who she is as a person, and as an artist and a writer.”
The singer is really pleased with the success that “You” is currently enjoying. “I was really proud when we released ‘Neon’ — the music that we put on the album, and going from ‘Tomorrow’ to ‘You’ has been great, though they are different songs. It’s gone great.”
And, he knows exactly where it’s been each week. “I’m a huge chart guy,” he admits, saying “I watch them all, and know how to read them. It’s a habit that when you get into it, you can’t really affect it, so it kind of freaks you out. But it’s a habit I can’t really break. I will say that it’s a lot more fun watching them now than when we first started.”
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His 2012 looks to be full of work on the calendar, which adds up to a lot of fun, according to Young. “We’re just getting ready to do another single after ‘You’ peaks. We’ve got some dates booked already in December and January of 2013, which is amazing. I think it’s going to be a cool year. I think people are going to be really excited. We’ve changed some of the covers up, and added a lot of stuff from the new record. It’s shaping up to be better than last year was, and I thought that was as good as it could get.”
He says it’s a rewarding feeling to be one of those “voices” that is a part of country radio these days. “It really is. I always say one of the points of my career when I had “made it” was when I heard my stuff on the radio alongside of George Strait and everybody else. It’s a little surreal. My mom called me the other day, and said she had a ‘Mom moment.’ She said she was listening to the radio, and they said ‘The home of country music you love like Keith Urban and Chris Young.’ I don’t think I’ll ever get used to hearing my name or my voice on there. It’s a really great feeling,” he stresses.