‘Catch of the Day’ – Brett Young – “Like I Loved You” [AUDIO]

Today we feature an artist who came out of the chute seeing red, hitting the top of of the chart with each of his first two singles. An artist who owes his musical success to an untimely arm injury that ended a promising baseball career.

Brett Young seemed to come out of nowhere in 2016, an overnight sensation close to 15 years in the making. Born and raised in Anaheim, California, he grew up in the shadow of Disneyland and the legendary Big A, the home of the California/Los Angeles Angels. He was a top-notch pitcher at Calvary Chapel High in Costa Mesa, leading his  team to a state championship, where he was scouted by the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays before heading off to the University of Mississippi after graduation. He struggled at Ole Miss and returned to California, transferring to Irvine Valley College, 30 minutes from Anaheim. After 1 year in Irvine he transferred to Fresno State University.

In 2003, while at FSU, Young's pitching career was cut short by an elbow injury. Prior to college he had discovered his musical ability when he stepped in to replace an absent band leader during a worship meeting in high school. Music was always

something he enjoyed, but baseball was his passion. Now, with that fire extinguished, Young turned that energy to his music. Young was inspired after listening to the Gavin DeGraw album Chariot and decided to turn his energies to making music. He independently released the EPs Brett Young (2007) and Make Believe (2011) and the full length albums Brett Young, On Fire and Broken Down in 2012 and 2013.

After 8 years of trying to do it from his home town, in 2015 Young packed his bags and headed to Nashville. It was the right call, as he was signed almost immediately, be offered a contract by Big Machine Records in August of that year. He was sent into the studio right away, releasing another self-titled, six-song EP in February of 2016. The lead single, "Sleep Without You" was released in April and would hit the top of the Billboard Country Singles chart in December, and would be certified gold. It would be followed by a second number one hit, "In Case You Didn't Know" would would hit the top of the chart in June and would receive platinum certification. Both songs would also be featured on Young's self-titled major labor debut album, released in February.

The third single from that album is in our spotlight today. Brought to you by All American Super Car Wash of Lawton, Brett Young and "Like I Loved You" is today's Catch of the Day, new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again.

We are changing up our contest just a little starting in July. When you listen to the Catch of the Day on KLAW101 or here in our feature, text our daily "key word" to 580 353-1013 and you will entered into our drawing for a $25 gift card from All American Super Car Wash of Lawton, who bring you new music every day, the Catch of the Day on Oklahoma's Best Country, KLAW101.

Key word for today: YOUNG