Brett Young

Brett Young had his eyes on the pitcher's mound at a major league baseball park, and life seemed destined to take him there. Born March 23, 1981, in Anaheim, California, the high-school baseball standout attended Ole Miss on a baseball scholarship, having turned down pre-draft selection offers from two major league teams. But an elbow injury in 2003 forced him to change direction, and he turned to music. He spent several years working from Los Angeles, where he released some independent music, but set his sights on Nashville and signed with Big Machine Label Group in 2015.

His first studio album, titled "Brett Young," was released in February 2017, which includes arguably his most famous song to date, the 2016 single titled "Sleep Without You." His style was all his own, dubbed "Caliville" for its blend of country and California. He toured with Brad Paisley on the Country Nation College Tour, and was part of the American Made Tour with Justin Moore and Lee Brice in 2017. His first major industry honor was the Academy of Country Music 2017 nomination for New Male Vocalist of the Year.