Brett Young

Biography

Brett Charles Young (born March 23, 1981) is an American country pop singer, songwriter and guitarist from Anaheim, California. He was a college baseball pitcher but took up songwriting after an elbow injury. His self-titled debut EP, produced by Dann Huff, was released by Republic Nashville on February 12, 2016. The lead single, "Sleep Without You×Sleep Without You21 March 2016 · ReleaseSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sleep Without You", was released on April 11 of that year, and he had a major success with a follow-up single, "In Case You Didn't Know×In Case You Didn't Know9 January 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1In Case You Didn't Know3:44". He released his second major label album Ticket to L.A.×Ticket to L.A.7 December 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Ticket to L.A.3:292Here Tonight3:373Catch3:1641, 2, 3 Mississippi3:275Let It Be Mine3:386Where You Want Me3:417Used to Missin’ You3:528Change Your Name3:349Chapters3:5710The Ship and the Bottle4:2911Reason to Stay3:1212Runnin’ Away From Home3:1013Don’t Wanna Write This Song3:49 in 2018, and the third, Weekends Look a Little Different These Days, in 2021.

Early life

Young was born in Anaheim, Orange County. He attended Calvary Chapel High School in Costa Mesa, California and then went to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), Irvine Valley College, and California State University, Fresno (Fresno State). He began singing in the late 1990s when he stepped in to replace a leader of a band who did not show up during a Christian worship meeting at high school.
Young was a pitcher on his high school baseball team and led the squad to a CIF championship. He went to Ole Miss on a baseball scholarship in 1999 after turning down pre-draft selection by both Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Minnesota Twins. In his one-season on the Rebel baseball team in 2000, he earned a varsity letter posting two wins and two saves. He then lettered for one season at Irvine Valley before moving to Fresno State. However, his pursuit of a professional baseball career was cut short by an elbow injury while at college in Fresno in 2003.

Music career

According to Young, he was inspired by Gavin DeGraw after he heard DeGraw's album Chariot as well as by singer-songwriter Jeremy Steele. Young decided to return to music. He independently released a self-titled four-song EP in 2007, Make Believe in 2011, followed by the albums Brett Young, On Fire×On FireJanuary 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Kiss by Kiss2On Fire3Wrapped Around You4Breathe Again5Dont Panic6Good Day for Someday7Little Too Little8In Love Alone9Cryin' for More10The Heart11Yours to Hold12On Fire (Stripped), and Broken Down×Broken Down15 October 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Kiss by Kiss4:232Cryin' for More3Yours to Hold3:584If This Were a Love Song5Used to Be the3:496Define Me7Pretend I Never Loved You8The Heart3:449Little Too Little3:2310Would You Wait for Me3:55 in 2012–13.
After being based for eight years in Los Angeles, Young moved to Nashville. He was soon signed by the Big Machine Label Group in August 2015.

2016–present: Brett Young EP and album

In February 2016, Young released a six-song self-titled EP. "Sleep Without You×Sleep Without You21 March 2016 · ReleaseSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sleep Without You" was released as the first single from the EP in April 2016. He wrote the song with Justin Ebach and Kelly Archer. The second single to be released from the album "In Case You Didn't Know×In Case You Didn't Know9 January 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1In Case You Didn't Know3:44", was released on January 9, 2017, becoming Young's signature song. The song was his first to reach number one on the Country Airplay chart and it was certified Diamond by RIAA. The album's third single, "Like I Loved You" released to country radio on July 17, 2017.
On February 10, 2017, Young released his self-titled debut studio album Brett Young. The album was produced by Dann Huff, and released through Big Machine Label Group. It debuted at number two on the Top Country Albums chart. Young tours with his band, which includes lead guitarist Keaton Simons, drummer Billy Hawn, keys/guitarist Matt Ferranti, and bass guitarist Noah Needleman.

2018–2020: Ticket to L.A.

In December 2018, Young released his sophomore album, Ticket to L.A.×Ticket to L.A.7 December 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Ticket to L.A.3:292Here Tonight3:373Catch3:1641, 2, 3 Mississippi3:275Let It Be Mine3:386Where You Want Me3:417Used to Missin’ You3:528Change Your Name3:349Chapters3:5710The Ship and the Bottle4:2911Reason to Stay3:1212Runnin’ Away From Home3:1013Don’t Wanna Write This Song3:49. The lead single for the album, "Here Tonight×Here Tonight24 September 2018 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Here Tonight3:37", which he co-wrote with Ben Caver, Justin Ebach, and Charles Kelley from Lady A, was released in September 2018. It was number one on the Country Airplay in April 2019. The album's second single, "Catch×Catch30 November 2018 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Catch3:16" released to country radio on June 3, 2019.

2020–present: Weekends Look a Little Different These Days

In April 2020, Young released the single "Lady", which he wrote about his wife and daughter. It is the lead-off single to his third studio album Weekends Look a Little Different These Days×Weekends Look a Little Different These Days4 June 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Weekends Look a Little Different These Days3:042Lady3:143This2:544Dear Me3:405Leave Me Alone3:036Not Yet2:547You Got Away With It3:028You Didn’t3:45, which was released on June 4, 2021. "Lady" reached number one on the Country Airplay chart in April 2021. The album's second single "Not Yet×Not Yet7 December 2018 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Not Yet2:53" was released in the same month. However, it was less successful, only peaking at number 37 on the Country Airplay chart. It was Young's first single to miss the Top 10, as well as his lowest-charting single to date and the first to miss number one since his 2016 debut single "Sleep Without You×Sleep Without You21 March 2016 · ReleaseSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sleep Without You". A third single, "You Didn't", was released in November 2021. In October 2021, he released a Christmas album Brett Young & Friends Sing the Christmas Classics×Brett Young & Friends Sing the Christmas Classics22 October 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Silver Bells3:322White Christmas3:563The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)3:094The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)2:125Silent Night2:586Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!2:087Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree2:128Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas3:07.

Personal life

In February 2018, Young and his girlfriend Taylor Mills were engaged. They were married in Palm Desert, California on November 3, 2018. On April 6, 2019, they announced that they were expecting their first child in the fall of 2019. Their daughter Presley was born on October 21, 2019. On January 27, 2021, they announced that they were expecting their second child in the summer of 2021. Their second daughter Rowan was born on July 21, 2021.