April 8, 2025 • 7 mins
At the end of 2024 Chris Young surprised a lot of people by leaving his longtime record label, RCA, for Black River Records. At the end of the day, what record lable an artist is on means nothing to the fans. But to make a change after nearly 20 years in the same building, it is something that us music nerds took notice of.
Last week Chris dropped his first new song from this venture with Black River called, Til The Last One Dies. I was excited when I found out that I'd have the chance to speak with Chris. We got a chance to discuss the new song, the fan reaction to it, switching labels and what's coming next. Please enjoy!
Last week Chris dropped his first new song from this venture with Black River called, Til The Last One Dies. I was excited when I found out that I'd have the chance to speak with Chris. We got a chance to discuss the new song, the fan reaction to it, switching labels and what's coming next. Please enjoy!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, everyone, it's Saint Pierre. Thank you for checking out
the Saint Pierre on Air podcast. This is where I
post the extended interviews or the extended conversations that I
have with folks. I can only play so much on
the radio before the boss gets mad at me, so
I put the longer form versions here for you. It's
also where you can find the weekly best of podcast,
where I take a look back at everything we talked about,
(00:22):
all the laughs we had throughout the week, and I
put it all together for you so you can enjoy
that on Fridays. But right now, I do want to
share an extended conversation that I had with Chris Young. Chris,
if you're not familiar, dropped the new song last week.
It's called Till the Last One Dies. It's his first
song on a new record label. He spent the first
nearly twenty years of his career with RCA Records. Fourteen
(00:45):
number ones or something like that and just a slew
of hits. Chris is definitely a rock star, if you will,
in the country music world. And now he's got a
new project in the works, and I'm excited to see
what it brings. What this new label and everything brings
to him. I think it could be a really great
shot in the arm for Chris's career. So we got
a chance to talk a little bit about the new song,
(01:06):
the switch to a new label, and what's coming down
the pipeline. Please enjoy the full conversation.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
How you doing, I'm doing great. How are you? I'm fantastic.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
I feel like when someone, you know, if your caliber
goes through the changes like you've had in the last
six months, you know, new label and all that, it's
because you've kind of been off the radar for a while.
But that's not true with you. I mean, you've been
pretty busy over the last year, and I almost want
to say, how have you been? But I kind of
feel like you've not stopped.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yeah, I thought I was going to have some downtime
in like December and January for the first time ever
in a very long time, and then ended up just
sort of fast tracking everything and got this amazing partnership
with Black River, and you know, had all this new
music that's getting ready to come straight at everybody. So
I've been like holed up in the studio and writing
(01:55):
and touring, and yeah, it's it's awesome. And then to
get till the last one dies out there with the
kind of start that it had, breaking a record for
me with the most day one ads that I've ever
had on any song in my career is just pretty wild.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Yeah, congratulations on that. I saw the numbers pop through it,
I was like, Wow, that's huge, and that's big. I
love that people are ready to invest in Chris Young.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Yeah. Man, I mean, look, I've had a lot of
success over the years with a bunch of different songs,
but I think everybody knows, you know, one of my
favorite things to sing is a really truly great love song.
And the first time I heard this one, I was
just like, I want that before anybody else gets to it.
It's been great seeing the reaction. Just recently started playing
it live once it was out there and people could,
(02:39):
you know, start getting the hold of it and listening
to it just I mean, this past weekend had amazing
response to it when I played it out. So it's
been cool seeing that from crowds.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
And it's got to feel good too, because your first
singles were hitting radio nearly twenty years ago and here
you are, twenty years into a career. And you're still
finding success. In fact, like you just said, it was
the biggest ad week you've ever had twenty years into
a career.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
That doesn't happen in music, no, And I mean I mean,
don't prematurely put me in twenty.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Oh No, knock on wood, knock on wood.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
It's only it's only nineteen. I would like to get
to twenty and twenty five and all that other stuff.
So I'm just incredibly grateful to see that level of
response to the song, and you know, to see people
still be in love with what I'm doing music wise.
So it's it's a really, really great feeling.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
I think that's something that's so unique to country music.
I was just talking to somebody else in the Nashville
scene their day, talking about like when we were younger,
you know, as I say, mid nineties, listening to the radio,
how many artists did you hear on the radio like
current radio that had been around for twenty years. And
the answer is none. I mean, there was nobody from
nineteen seventy five on the radio in nineteen ninety five.
But in country music, I mean, people have long careers,
(03:51):
Fans invest in these artists. They really, they really are
able to keep those careers going. I think that's something
that's kind of special for country.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Well. I had some the other day come up to
me and they're like, there's no way that you've been
in music that long, and I was like, well, when
I got signed, I couldn't order a beer. So that's
part of it, you know. I'm incredibly grateful for that.
But you know, this is a new chapter for me,
you know, with the new label and with new music,
and I'm just honestly blown away that people have gravitated
(04:22):
towards this song so fast. So hopefully anybody listened to
this that hadn't heard it yet, when you hear it,
hopefully you love it too.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I'm kind of fascinated by the business of country music here.
And I know you switched labels at the end of
twenty twenty four, after a long run with RCA, you
joined Black River, And like I said earlier in this conversation,
a lot of times when a label switch happens, it's
because an artist kind of falls off the radar a
little bit, doesn't feel like they're having the same connection anymore.
But I don't feel like that was the case with you.
(04:49):
I mean, you were still putting out hit singles, you
were still touring at a big level, But then the
switch came. So for you, why did you decide it
was time to make a change?
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Honestly, you know, and just the way you're framing it
is to look correct, it was just the end of
that deal, Like the deal was up. So I sort
of got to play free agent for the first time
in a very very long time. And you know, we
just had a number one with Young Love and Saturday Nights,
and so it was like, Okay, what's next? What am
(05:18):
I doing? Am I going with another single? Off this?
Am I staying here? Am I going somewhere else? And
I'd set up meetings and the very first meeting I
had was with Black River. I had a three hour
meeting with him. And I don't have three hour meetings
my add can't. I just don't. I don't do that.
Just overwhelmingly felt like, not only did they love the
(05:38):
music that I had, that I'd been writing all year,
and I was like, what am I going to do
with all this stuff? And they they loved that, but
they also were like, we really want you here, We
want you here with us, you know, believed them and
so far, all I've seen is them holding their endo
the bargain. So it's been an incredibly fast and around
(06:00):
to get a bunch of this music done. Because I've
already got most of the album done. People don't know
they yet, but they do now, yeah, now they do.
But you know, picking the single, getting a video done
that hopefully will be out, you know, at some point
this week for people to watch, and you know, it's
just been a lot of fun and it is just,
you know, a new chapter for me. So it's it's
(06:23):
pretty exciting.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I'm excited for you. I've always felt Black River had
more to offer than what they were able to do.
I mean, i know they've had Kelsey Ballerini and they've
had some other upstart artists they've been working with, but
you haven't really been able to break through. So I'm
excited that you're going to be able to get on
that team and really give them a chance to show
what else they can do out there. I'm excited for
you and for them. I think it's a really great partnership.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Well, they're an amazing team and I'm happy to be
over there with them and happy that everybody loves the
new music. So far, so hopefully more and more people
keep hearing it. And I mean, you know, it is
getting to be a wedding season, so there's a good
song for it.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
And you you are a great wedding season type of artists, Chris.
I have to give you that. Till the Last One
Dies is out now. Great song, Chris. Thank you so
much for your time and I look forward to hearing
more of this new stuff you've been working on.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Absolutely, thank you.
Hey, everyone, it's Saint Pierre. Thank you for checking out
the Saint Pierre on Air podcast. This is where I
post the extended interviews or the extended conversations that I
have with folks. I can only play so much on
the radio before the boss gets mad at me, so
I put the longer form versions here for you. It's
also where you can find the weekly best of podcast,
where I take a look back at everything we talked about,
(00:22):
all the laughs we had throughout the week, and I
put it all together for you so you can enjoy
that on Fridays. But right now, I do want to
share an extended conversation that I had with Chris Young. Chris,
if you're not familiar, dropped the new song last week.
It's called Till the Last One Dies. It's his first
song on a new record label. He spent the first
nearly twenty years of his career with RCA Records. Fourteen
(00:45):
number ones or something like that and just a slew
of hits. Chris is definitely a rock star, if you will,
in the country music world. And now he's got a
new project in the works, and I'm excited to see
what it brings. What this new label and everything brings
to him. I think it could be a really great
shot in the arm for Chris's career. So we got
a chance to talk a little bit about the new song,
(01:06):
the switch to a new label, and what's coming down
the pipeline. Please enjoy the full conversation.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
How you doing, I'm doing great. How are you? I'm fantastic.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
I feel like when someone, you know, if your caliber
goes through the changes like you've had in the last
six months, you know, new label and all that, it's
because you've kind of been off the radar for a while.
But that's not true with you. I mean, you've been
pretty busy over the last year, and I almost want
to say, how have you been? But I kind of
feel like you've not stopped.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yeah, I thought I was going to have some downtime
in like December and January for the first time ever
in a very long time, and then ended up just
sort of fast tracking everything and got this amazing partnership
with Black River, and you know, had all this new
music that's getting ready to come straight at everybody. So
I've been like holed up in the studio and writing
(01:55):
and touring, and yeah, it's it's awesome. And then to
get till the last one dies out there with the
kind of start that it had, breaking a record for
me with the most day one ads that I've ever
had on any song in my career is just pretty wild.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Yeah, congratulations on that. I saw the numbers pop through it,
I was like, Wow, that's huge, and that's big. I
love that people are ready to invest in Chris Young.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Yeah. Man, I mean, look, I've had a lot of
success over the years with a bunch of different songs,
but I think everybody knows, you know, one of my
favorite things to sing is a really truly great love song.
And the first time I heard this one, I was
just like, I want that before anybody else gets to it.
It's been great seeing the reaction. Just recently started playing
it live once it was out there and people could,
(02:39):
you know, start getting the hold of it and listening
to it just I mean, this past weekend had amazing
response to it when I played it out. So it's
been cool seeing that from crowds.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
And it's got to feel good too, because your first
singles were hitting radio nearly twenty years ago and here
you are, twenty years into a career. And you're still
finding success. In fact, like you just said, it was
the biggest ad week you've ever had twenty years into
a career.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
That doesn't happen in music, no, And I mean I mean,
don't prematurely put me in twenty.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Oh No, knock on wood, knock on wood.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
It's only it's only nineteen. I would like to get
to twenty and twenty five and all that other stuff.
So I'm just incredibly grateful to see that level of
response to the song, and you know, to see people
still be in love with what I'm doing music wise.
So it's it's a really, really great feeling.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
I think that's something that's so unique to country music.
I was just talking to somebody else in the Nashville
scene their day, talking about like when we were younger,
you know, as I say, mid nineties, listening to the radio,
how many artists did you hear on the radio like
current radio that had been around for twenty years. And
the answer is none. I mean, there was nobody from
nineteen seventy five on the radio in nineteen ninety five.
But in country music, I mean, people have long careers,
(03:51):
Fans invest in these artists. They really, they really are
able to keep those careers going. I think that's something
that's kind of special for country.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Well. I had some the other day come up to
me and they're like, there's no way that you've been
in music that long, and I was like, well, when
I got signed, I couldn't order a beer. So that's
part of it, you know. I'm incredibly grateful for that.
But you know, this is a new chapter for me,
you know, with the new label and with new music,
and I'm just honestly blown away that people have gravitated
(04:22):
towards this song so fast. So hopefully anybody listened to
this that hadn't heard it yet, when you hear it,
hopefully you love it too.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I'm kind of fascinated by the business of country music here.
And I know you switched labels at the end of
twenty twenty four, after a long run with RCA, you
joined Black River, And like I said earlier in this conversation,
a lot of times when a label switch happens, it's
because an artist kind of falls off the radar a
little bit, doesn't feel like they're having the same connection anymore.
But I don't feel like that was the case with you.
(04:49):
I mean, you were still putting out hit singles, you
were still touring at a big level, But then the
switch came. So for you, why did you decide it
was time to make a change?
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Honestly, you know, and just the way you're framing it
is to look correct, it was just the end of
that deal, Like the deal was up. So I sort
of got to play free agent for the first time
in a very very long time. And you know, we
just had a number one with Young Love and Saturday Nights,
and so it was like, Okay, what's next? What am
(05:18):
I doing? Am I going with another single? Off this?
Am I staying here? Am I going somewhere else? And
I'd set up meetings and the very first meeting I
had was with Black River. I had a three hour
meeting with him. And I don't have three hour meetings
my add can't. I just don't. I don't do that.
Just overwhelmingly felt like, not only did they love the
(05:38):
music that I had, that I'd been writing all year,
and I was like, what am I going to do
with all this stuff? And they they loved that, but
they also were like, we really want you here, We
want you here with us, you know, believed them and
so far, all I've seen is them holding their endo
the bargain. So it's been an incredibly fast and around
(06:00):
to get a bunch of this music done. Because I've
already got most of the album done. People don't know
they yet, but they do now, yeah, now they do.
But you know, picking the single, getting a video done
that hopefully will be out, you know, at some point
this week for people to watch, and you know, it's
just been a lot of fun and it is just,
you know, a new chapter for me. So it's it's
(06:23):
pretty exciting.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I'm excited for you. I've always felt Black River had
more to offer than what they were able to do.
I mean, i know they've had Kelsey Ballerini and they've
had some other upstart artists they've been working with, but
you haven't really been able to break through. So I'm
excited that you're going to be able to get on
that team and really give them a chance to show
what else they can do out there. I'm excited for
you and for them. I think it's a really great partnership.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Well, they're an amazing team and I'm happy to be
over there with them and happy that everybody loves the
new music. So far, so hopefully more and more people
keep hearing it. And I mean, you know, it is
getting to be a wedding season, so there's a good
song for it.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
And you you are a great wedding season type of artists, Chris.
I have to give you that. Till the Last One
Dies is out now. Great song, Chris. Thank you so
much for your time and I look forward to hearing
more of this new stuff you've been working on.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Absolutely, thank you.
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