CHRIS YOUNG ANNUAL FAN CLUB PARTY
June 13, 2009
Nashville Palace
Nashville, Tennessee
by Lisa Vaughn
Heading into the Nashville Palace, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Having been to the Palace a few times in the past, I was delighted that it appeared to be the perfect place for Chris’ fan club party! There were enough people there to fill the seats, but there was plenty of walking room so that fans could easily mingle with others. It was obvious that it had been a year, since Chris’ last fan club party, that some people had seen their friends. The Palace gave ample space for the mini-reunions.
At approximately 9:30 a.m., Chris and Beau took the stage to entertain us. And entertain they did! Starting off with a charting single from his first album, "You’re Gonna Love Me," that set the mood from the beginning. Fans were there to see one of their favorite artists perform just for them. Chris then was asked if he would do an old Keith Whitley song called "Miami My Amy" for one of his fans. He practiced for a minute or two, then launched into a version that I know had Keith himself smiling.
Chris then told us that his sophomore album (due out 9/1/09) finally had a name..."The Man I Want to Be." That being said, he launches into the song, an obvious crowd-pleaser that had the entire room mesmerized. Next he and Beau step it up a few notches with another song from the new album, the upbeat "That Makes Me." Next comes another charted single for Chris, "Voices." I have to say here that it’s truly amazing to see almost every fan there singing along with all the words to just about every song. I can only imagine how Chris feels having his music so popular that it’s being sung back to him!
At this point Chris stops the show to recognize some very important people in his life and career.
His Street Team Coordinator, DJ Devin, his Fan Club President, Terri Thompson, Mary Maggart, and Dale Brazell. It was very obvious that he cares very much for these ladies and the work they do for him. It’s really nice to see an artist recognize those who directly affect his success Including the fans, which he continued to thank throughout the entire party. He tells everyone that he wouldn’t be doing what he loves so much if it weren’t for the fans.
Picking back up with the show, he sheepishly says he knows he’s running a little behind, but that this was for the fans. He explains that the next song is off the new album, and is actually a duet with Willie Nelson. If you weren’t there, you missed an amazing imitation of Willie by Chris! Chris goes on to say that this song, "Rose in Paradise," is the first time being sung live.
Chris finishes out his show with Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song) which is currently charting at #25, Don’t Let Me Go, his first single release Drinkin’ Me Lonely, and in tribute to the late Vern Gosdin, a heartstopping rendition of Chiseled in Stone.
During the show, Harrah’s and WSM presented St. Jude’s with a check on behalf of Chris for $3,150 ! In addition, there was a silent auction to benefit St. Jude’s, as well as a wonderful group of ladies, affectionately known as the "Trace Aunts" who had limited edition posters made commemorating Chris’ fan club party with profits also going to St. Jude.
While Chris went to personally meet his fans, the entertainment continued. We were treated to performances by Brother Trouble, Johnny Bulford, Copeland Duhon and Katelyn Hobson. With a little encouragement, even our own Tori Mason took to the stage for a few songs!
While walking around, I thought it might be fun to find out what draws others to Chris. Anita from Oregon (see photo below) caught my attention with her homemade signs that she made specially for Chris. Anita stated this was her first fan club party. She goes on to say that she "loves everything about Chris! He’s wonderful, stupendous, and I can’t get enough!" Renee from Maryland says this is the only fan club she belongs to and this is her third year. Renee states, "I love the person he is. He’s awesome and I’ll definitely be here next year!"
Overall, the fan club party was a wonderful experience. To see the love that the fans have for Chris, and the love he has for his fans, it’s truly an amazing thing.
In this issue:
- The Man I Want To Be Release Date
- Summer Shows
- New Website/Message Board Launched
- Chris on Twitter
- Fan Club Member Special Offers
- Country Fans Care article
- Show Reviews
- CMA Fest Photos and more
Shows This Summer
Jul 03 O'Fallon, MO
Freedom Fest
Jul 04 Nashville, TN
Grand Ole Opry
Jul 11 Union, MO
Union City Park - Franklin Co Fairgrounds
Jul 24 Bridgeview, IL
Toyota Park
Jul 25 Guthrie Center, IA
Guthrie River Rukus
Aug 01 Owensboro, KY
Reid's Orchard Fairgrounds
Aug 07 Hanover, MD
Cancun Cantina
Aug 08 Hagerstown, MD
Hager Hall
Aug 21 Butte, MT
The Butte Depot
Aug 22 Davenport, WA
Two Rivers Amphitheatre
Aug 26 Fremont, CA
Saddlerack
Aug 28 Brownsville, OR
Willamette Country Music Festival
Aug 29 Las Vegas, NV
Coyote Country Fest - KCYE
Aug 30 Snoqualmie, WA
Snoqualmie Casino
Sept 04 Allentown, PA
opening for Tim McGrawSept 07 Newton, NC
Hickory American Legion
Fair
New Disc’s Smash Single, “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song),” Continues to Power up the Charts as One of Country Radio’s Hottest Singles!
Excitement over RCA Nashville star Chris Young is as sizzling as the summer temps as the man Country Weekly readers voted “Country’s Hottest Bachelor” has been heating up the radio airwaves everywhere with the irresistible groove of his smash single, “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song).” And while fans can pick up the digital single now, they can also look forward to more great music, with September 1 announced as the release date for Chris’ sophomore album, The Man I Want to Be.
Helmed by veteran producer James Stroud, The Man I Want to Be delivers a powerhouse showcase for Young’s inviting baritone, whether singing a duet with Willie Nelson on the Waylon Jennings classic “Rose in Paradise,” capturing the essence of brotherly love in “The Dashboard,” or giving voice to the title track, a beautiful Brett James/Tim Nichols-penned plea for a chance at a fresh beginning.
Other highlights include Chris’ soulful, first-take reading on the timeless Brook Benton hit, “Rainy Night in Georgia,” in addition to three songs Young co-wrote, one of which is the playfully sexy “Gettin’ You Home,” which jumps to #25 on the country airplay charts this week.
“Gettin’ You Home” has caught fire on the airwaves, becoming the most-added new song at country radio last week, and the story continues to build, with more new airplay across the country, including such major markets as Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Portland, and Phoenix.
The Man I Want to Be is the follow-up to Chris’ self-titled debut album that launched the smash, “Drinkin’ Me Lonely,” and earned Young the highest selling album debut by any new male country artist in 2006.
Chris Young Is The Man I Want to Be, as New Album Hits Stores on September 1!
Fan Club Member Lisa Vaughn interviewed Chris for Country Stars Central after his performance in Cullman, AL. She dared ask some questions you may not have thought to ask before, such as: "What would you say is the best prank you’ve ever played on someone, and what is the best one that has been played on you?" Enjoy the answers to this and more candid questions at www.countrystarscentral.com/.
Great job, Lisa!
Cotton Eyed Joe Review
by Peggy Short
My son Kenny and I arrived at Cotton Eyed Joe at 6:00 PM only to see this big sign across the door with Chris's photo and "Show at midnight". We decided to go in anyway and wait it out. We got our hands stamped at the door where the guy wanted to make sure I wasn't going to try to sell the signs (Young Country signs).
We went in and found a table and ordered supper from a very friendly waitress, who told us that Chris had been in there for a practice session at 5. Of course I had to talk to her about him and give her a street team card.
Around 10 or so I made the rounds of the tables with the signs and street team cards. When I returned to our table, Kenny told me I had just missed seeing Chris and told me where he was. So of course I had to go over there and see what was going on. WIVK had promoted a black dress contest and he was doing a meet and greet with the winners.
Finally it was midnight and the show began with Chris singing Beer or Gasoline. And the show continued with him interacting with the crowd as he sang You're Gonna Love Me, The Man I Want to Be, I Miss You Already, Jose, Drinking Me Lonely, Center of My World, Songs With the Same Chords (I really liked that, my first time hearing him do that one) Lay it On Me, Fishing In the Dark (and yes he cut the crowd off as they tried to keep singing it), Lay It on Me, Getting You Home, Voices, Sharp Dressed Man, Rubadubbing, and of course it ended with Who's Gonna Take Me Home.
One of the more memorable moments was when he asked if there were birthdays. Two that I remember were the guy the waitresses brought on stage who had worked at Cotton Eyed Joe's since it had opened and then a moment of silence for a lady in the audience whose deceased son's birthday was that day. I thought it was so great for him to do that.
After the show ended he went to the merch table for a meet and greet. I was about the 5th or 6th in line and had him autograph the parade pic in the July 6 Country Weekly, got my pic with him, and asked about getting a pic with my truck. I was so happy when he told me he would do it and I waited outside the club patiently as the meet and greet line had expanded into a long one, and he had some more stuff to do with the WIVK people before he came out to the parking lot.
I have enjoyed all the shows I have been to, but for me this was one of the best ones, but that was only because I got to spend a little more time with Chris and ended up getting more than one hug.
Terry Parrish & Team
3-Day Walk Update
We are following Chris Young Fan Club Member Terry Parrish as she prepares to make the 60-mile walk for breast cancer with a goal to raise $3,000. If you'd like to visit her page, click here. We began following Terry in April and here is her update.
Well we are up to walking 3, 5 and 7 miles every other day. Each day at work we walk 1 mile around our base. I work at a Navy abs, so we have lots of places to walk. One day we walk a distance and the next we do fast pace walking and stretching to prepare our muscles. The walk will be here before we know it.
We are working on our donations still. I am over half way there right now! I've had some wonderful responses, just waiting on friends and sponsors to make good on their promises. People think they have to wait until October to donate, but they do not. I actually handed out some of my donation slips in Nashville and one lady I met at BB King's made a donation. I was so surprised.
In May I lost my 47-year-old brother to lung/bone cancer. This walk/cure/
disease means so much to me, and I'm hoping it will touch others too.
Terry
Lucky Key Holder
Wins Private Acoustic Show
by Kimberly Smith
I prayed for a month it wouldn’t rain in Nashville during CMA Fest…well thank God for unanswered prayers! Because it was POURING that first Thursday morning of CMA Fest, I spent all day in the convention center…which lead to the series of events that lead me to meeting DJ (Chris's Street Team Coordinator) as she was ‘walking the line’ at Chris’s booth, telling people about the Black Dress party.
I had wanted to meet Chris for a looooooooooong time, but never had the opportunity. That day, the timing was perfect…I got in his line about 15 minutes before he had to leave, bought my Black Dress shirt (got my first key!) and FINALLY got to meet Chris. In fact, that was the first thing I said to him…”I have been wanting to meet you for a long time!”
So after that first meeting, I got my second key from DJ (because I had already put my Black Dress shirt on, while I was in line). I was going to leave the convention center then, but decided to hang out a while longer, because it was so HOT outside…good thing I did, because about 30 minutes later, DJ caught me in the convention center and gave me my third key!
Shortly there after I began my walk to Big Shotz…which I had a little trouble finding…I went past it twice! It was already pretty full, so I took a seat in the back. After a few minutes, I saw DJ coming towards my table, so I held out my hand for another key, which she gave me! After the show started, I began weaving my way to the front, so I could get some pictures of Chris! When I was about half way to the stage, I received my fifth and final key, from Dot. I was able to get a little closer to the stage and got some great pictures of Chris!
About three quarters of the way through an AWESOME show, Chris told everybody they could go start trying their keys, but not all at once because he wasn’t done yet! I decided to wait a few more minutes before I went down, so I could be up front a little longer. At the time I didn’t realize there were 4 prizes and one GRAND prize.
When I got in line, there was a lady a little bit ahead of me that had a winning key, she got a prize, and I thought maybe it was over, but the line kept moving. When I got up to try my keys, the first four didn’t do anything, but the fifth one opened the box! There was only one prize envelope left, and I noticed everyone had gotten kind of quiet…and then I heard someone (I think it was DJ) whisper “She doesn’t know what she won”…that’s when it dawned on me that I had won the GRAND prize…and then I started shaking! I could hardly get my keys off my CMA lanyard to give back to Mrs. Becky!
We went out on the sidewalk, so she could explain to me how the private show was going to work, and so I could call my mom and my cousin. They were already in line to go to the show at LP Field at that point, so I was screaming, “Don’t get on the bus!! Don’t get on the bus!!” Fortunately, I caught them, and they did not get on the bus! We also invited 2 friends of my cousin’s (who had met Chris several years ago on a country cruise, and he remembered them, so that was pretty awesome!)
While we were out on the sidewalk, my mom and I were talking about what I might ask Chris to sing, and I wondered out loud “I wonder if he knows ‘Miami, My Amy’?” (Which happens to be one of my FAVORITE songs in the world!) About that time, I heard the song being sung inside Big Shotz, by the guy who came on after Chris’s show. How wild!!
After Chris got done with the Black Dress party M&G, my group went back into Big Shotz's green room. After we introduced ourselves, Chris asked me what I wanted to hear, and I asked him to do “Gettin' You Home” again…I just can’t get enough of that song! After that he said “what’s next?” so I asked him to do some Keith Whitley, and if he knew ‘Miami, My Amy’, and he said “that is the one I was going to do”…and I only thought I loved the song before…but hearing Chris sing it…the only word that comes to mind is AMAZING! He did one of his new songs next, “I Miss You Already”, and oh my gosh, it was BEAUTIFUL!
Then Chris told us a story about his Opry appearance several weeks ago, sang the chorus to “Devil Woman” and then ended our show with “Don’t Close Your Eyes”. Even though I have used lots of words to describe how INCREDIBLE and AMAZING that night was, there are really no words good enough to truly describe it. Chris, Mrs. Becky, Terri, DJ, and all those who made that night happen, I am FOREVER GRATEFUL!
Click on photos to view larger version
New Website Goes
From Brown to Blue
Have you been to the new Chris Young website at www.chrisyoungcountry.com/ and discovered the new brighter blue background? The Chris Young Team is receiving positive feedback on the site and fans are enjoying the new features available on the message board.
You're all invited to join the new message board. Once on the website, click on the FORUM tab to visit the new message board. All the latest information on shows, voting, and other news can be found there. and it's a great place to share your Chris stories.
The Fan Club and Street Team each has its own forum! You must first register on the message board and then request your access to the two special forums. The "ANNOUNCEMENT" in the top of each forum explains the free and easy method to gain access.
Once fan club members have gained access to the Fan Club forum, accessibility will remain in effect as long as their memberships are valid.
News Flash for Fan Club Members: If you didn't make it to this year's fan club party (or even if you did), you can purchase the gift Chris presented to his fans at the party -- you'll find the details in the fan club forum. This is a limited time/quantity offer for fan club members so sign up for the forum soon!
Plans are in the works for a Chris Young/fan club member chat in the fan club forum--don't miss it, join the club !
Pssst....Word has it that Chris has been spotted talking to fans in the chat box so come see what it's all about!
Chris scored a whopping 87 in Lonestar's Strike Out for the Kids event to benefit St. Jude. BUT, as he mentioned, he didn't finish the game. It's all in fun! Click on photo above to see his happy face and score.
A Moment in Rock Hill, SC with Chris
by Vicky Gillette
During the early show Chris sent the band for a rest and did a little acoustical guitar session. I yelled out "Jose'" and he did sing that song - that was the song I first heard on XM radio that made me go out and buy his CD because we actually went to Mexico (and missed the Fan Club Party). He had not done that song during either of the two previous shows we went to, so my son and his friend sang right along -- they do that all the time in the car with his CD !! I had to feed the kids a couple glasses of Pepsi to keep them going, but at the end -- they did get to meet Chris. The picture is below. Strange story about it - I was taking a picture - and you can see Chris looked at me, but my husband was to my left taking a picture with CJ's camera and the boys looked to him -- it's really funny to look at both pictures at the same time !!
Chris reached out and grabbed my hand and said "thank you for coming" - like he actually remembers me. I did feel really special !! He, of course, was getting bombarded, so we did not have a chance to really talk as it was now 12:30 and it was time to get the boys out and in bed.
Have You Tweeted?
"Hey! The 1st 3 people to bring this twitter on your phone to the merch booth at my Atlanta show get a free merch item!"
"Morning guys! If you live in Atlanta tune your radio to KICKS 101.5. I will be on air at 12 noon."
WHAT? you ask. These are tweets (or messages on Twitter) from Chris while out on the road. Now you can keep up with him as he updates his fans from his cell phone while out and about. Go to www.twitter.com/chrisyoungmusic and sign up today--it's FREE!!! The more the merrier and it's a lot of fun.
As many of you know St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is near and dear to Chris's heart. It's the charitable organization he encourages his fans to support. If you're curious how the Chris Young Fan Club has been involved in the Country Fans Care program, you can read an interview with Fan Club President Terri Thompson at www.nashvillegab.com. Learn how you can make a donation in Chris's name; just click on the banner above.
Thanks to all the Chris Young fans and family who generously donated blankets to the Chris Young Heartwarmers Project. Meri, project coordinator, reported 164 blankets were collected at this year's fan club party with a few more yet to be collected. Forty of those blankets were lovingly created by employees of Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. thanks to Arlene Tatum, Chris Young charter member.
LOOKING FOR NEW
CHRIS YOUNG
FAN CLUB MEMBERS
Don't miss an opportunity to meet Chris when he comes to your city --join the Chris Young Fan Club today at www.chrisyoungcountry.com/ and you'll be eligible for meet and greets. If you join in the month of July and type the word SURPRISE in the notes section of the Paypal form, we'll add a surprise to your fan club packet!*
Annual membership benefits include:
- Meet & Greet Opportunities
- Fan Club packet with membership card, fan club exclusive 8 x 10 personalized by Chris, bio, and more----
- Access to members only forum on message board
- Invitation to annual fan club party
- Wallpaper and other media
- Monthly newsletters (online)
- Exclusive Fan Club merchandise
- Special members only offers throughout the year
Don't miss out on the special offer; become an official card carrying Chris Young Fan Club member!
*This offer valid to the first 50 new members only through July 31, 2009. (New members are those who have not been a member any time in 2009.)
BOWLING FOR CHARITY
Honest Abe Catches Chris's Riverfront Show During CMA Music Fest
Alex & CJ meet Chris in Rock Hill, SC
July 2009
Newsletter
Don't forget to share your meet and greet photos with Country Weekly at www.countryweekly.com/fans/submit.
Smilers also wanted on the new Chris Young website -- submit your favorite meet and greet photo to ChrisYoungCountryNews@yahoo.com. For best results, please make sure photos are no larger than 1024 x 758 pixels.
FUN @ 2009 CMA MUSIC FEST
Find more photos in the new website photo gallery at www.chrisyoungcountry.com!
Don't forget to request Gettin' You Home at your local station. It's at #25 on the charts this week!
Would you like to be notified each month when the online newsletter is available? If so, please send an email to chrisyoungcountrynews@yahoo.com with the words ADD ME in the subject line. We'll be happy to add you to the mailing list.
If you'd like to be removed from the mailing list, please send an email to chrisyoungcountrynews@yahoo.com with the words REMOVE ME in the subject line.
Lisa Vaughn
