In baseball lingo, it’s called the “sweet spot.” An undefined, immeasurable, almost mythical part of the bat’s barrel, from which the ball launches into the stratosphere when struck at just the right angle.    

A play by play of both his personal life and career would conclude that country star Brett Young has found his “sweet spot.” But to hear him tell it, the journey from highly touted baseball prospect to platinum-selling artist has been a series of “happy accidents.” 

After graduating from Calvary Chapel High School in Costa Mesa, Young attended Ole Miss, Irvine Valley College and Fresno State in pursuit of his dream to become a Major League pitcher. 

“My story kind of starts with baseball, not music,” he said last March, moments before taking the stage for a private concert under the stars at BIGHORN. “The majority of my first twenty-two years was all things sport, and it looked like it was going to be a baseball career until I hurt myself playing college baseball. I didn’t ever really look at music like a long-term play or even a career.”

Young grew up in church where singing was an enjoyable hobby. After the career ending elbow injury, he had to find some way to make a living, preferably not a desk job. “Music was the only thing I’ve ever loved as much as baseball.”

He found a bunch of places that paid him to play on random weekdays and before he knew it, his hobby morphed into a legitimate career. 

After relocating from Los Angeles to Nashville, the capital of country music, Young debuted his first album, a six-song EP, titled Brett Young.  The singles “Sleep Without You,” “In Case You Didn’t Know,” and “Like I Loved You” received extensive airplay and the EP was certified triple-platinum.   

Young felt strangely at home in Nashville. “It’s a competitive place,” he noted, “but it’s not about getting ahead. It’s about building each other up while trying to make yourself better. “The other incredible thing is the work ethic in country music.” The typical workday for songwriters in Nashville is demanding, in order to dish out five songs a week. “It’s serious business. The hustle’s real and people work.” 

At the age of 38, Young is just getting started.  He released his sophomore album, Ticket to L.A., featuring 10 songs he co-wrote, including the hit single “Here Tonight” – which was written with Charles Kelley, lead singer of Lady Antebellum. Additional collaborators included Young’s idol, Gavin DeGraw, Grammy nominated Ross Copperman, and Ashley Gorley, to name a few. Ticket to L.A. debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums, number 15 on the Billboard 200, and sold 27,000 copies in the first week alone.  

In November 2018, Young married longtime girlfriend Taylor Mills in a private ceremony at BIGHORN. For the couple, BIGHORN is a special place. Taylor grew up in the desert, so when they were looking for wedding venues, they instantly thought of BIGHORN, which suited all of their needs for a perfect weekend of wedding activities. 

The couple kicked off their matrimonial celebrations with their family at a rehearsal dinner in The Canyons Steak House, followed by a “Welcome to Town” party at The Vault for more than 200 guests. The following day, family and friends gathered around the signature second hole at the Canyons Course to watch the couple exchange their heartfelt vows. 

Wedding guests then headed to the exquisitely decorated Event Terrace for a cocktail reception, dinner and dancing. The star-studded festivities included performances by fellow country artists Luke Combs and Lee Brice, after which Gavin DeGraw, joined in on the fun, performing “More than Anyone.” The newlyweds glided across the dance floor to a special rendition of “Forever Young,” arranged by Young’s longtime producer Dan Huff.  With the celebration still going strong, many of the guests joined the lively after-party at the HUB. 

The nuptials generated extensive media coverage in outlets such as People Magazine and TMZ in addition to significant social media interest for both the couple and the Club. 

Reflecting on that special day, Young said, “The venue was perfect, and the weather was perfect… The team here at BIGHORN really knocked it out of the park.”