Number 5: Chris Young

Number 5 is the 2006 winner of Nashville Star, Chris Young. After his win, Chris released his self titled debut, with the hits "Drinking Me Lonely" and "You're Gonna Love Me." Chris's second album, The Man I Want To Be is the one that got my attention. The song "Gettin You Home" hit the radio in 2009 and became a quick country favorite. This is when I really started to love Chris Young. I got the album as soon as it came out and each song was just as good as the last one. In 2011, Chris won two ACA's for "Breakthrough Artist of the Year" and "Single of the Year" for his song "Voices". He released his third studio album, Neon in the summer of 2011. And let me tell ya, it's just as good as the other two. Chris hasn't had a whole lot of exposure, so there is less history for me to talk about. This is good because I can tell ya'll how I really feel about this guy. This Tennessee native has such a unique voice. It's deep and twangy and he somehow manages to almost yodel in a very country way. He sings about the things that are traditionally sung about in country music, but he does it a little differently. Chris' songs are about influences of family, being a man, and loving a woman. His songs tell stories, such as the song about a brother who is a Marine going off to duty, "The Dashboard". Through his songs, it is clear that family had a huge influence on who he is today, and without them he wouldn't have gotten far. The words he sings and the manner in which he sings them lets the listener know how passionate he is about that which he is singing. "She's got this thing about her, she's got this thing about her. Like the magic in your favorite song, you just can't put your finger on." His voice is unlike any other and just melts your heart when you hear him sing. And for this reason, I love me some Chris Young!