Chris Young has been inspired by plenty of artists, but none quite as much as Reba McEntire. It’s McEntire who has been a north star for Young, not only in her concerts, but in the way she has spearheaded a career that has spanned almost 50 years.
“A female artist that has definitely influenced me from the perspective of stage show, vocalist, performance, and just how much she has accomplished in her career that I look up to is Reba McEntire,” Young tells Sony Music Nashville. “If you make a Mount Rushmore of country music, I have a whole lot of reasons why she should be on there. And she’s just a fantastic person, fantastic artist.”
Young might look to McEntire for inspiration, but he is also undoubtedly inspiring plenty of artists as well. The Tennessee native released his eponymous debut album in 2006, and has been a mainstay on the charts in the 18 years since then. He will release his ninth studio album, Young Love & Saturday Nights, on March 22. In addition to the title track, which is his current Top 30 single, Young has also released “Looking For You,” “All Dogs Go To Heaven,” “Right Now,” “Double Down” and “What She Sees in Me” from the new project.
“Albums are all a snapshot of time, right?” Young reflected to Nashville Lifestyles. “This year I was really introspective. I’ve worked a lot on myself. I was in the gym a lot more. I was in the studio a lot more, and I was traveling and working toward this new project— changing things around in my career. There’s been a lot of work that I’ve put in this year, whether it was personal, professional, or even just into my friendships, making sure I was taking time to see people I care about. And I think that probably shows a little bit.”
Young will likely draw inspiration from McEntire on his upcoming Young Love & Saturday Nights Tour as well, kicking off on March 25 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He will also open for Kane Brown, for one show on Brown’s In The Air Tour. Young will take the stage ahead of Brown on August 16 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington.
“It’s Kane’s tour and I could not be looking forward to one tour stop more than I am for that one, because I’ve known that guy entirely too long,” Young told Everything Nash. “I love him like a brother, and that’s why I said yes to it. I was like, ‘That’s gonna be so cool to be able to open for him after he opened for me multiple times.’ I’m super looking forward to it.”
Pre-order Young Love & Saturday Nights, and find all of Young’s music at ChrisYoungCountry.com.