Brett Young Admits His Goals Might Be Different in Country Music

Brett Young's career is still rising, but he's already living the dream. The newly married singer was on the fast track to becoming a professional baseball player, when an injury in college derailed those plans. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, Young quickly shifted gears, pursuing his other love – music – and never looking back.

So while he could look at artists who are having more success—or maybe achieving accolades at a faster pace—instead Young chooses to be thankful for all the opportunities he has already been given.

"I don't know if it's just that this happened a little bit later in life for me, but I think I approach this a little differently," the 37-year-old explained. "I think my goals are probably different. To be able to do something that you love and have that pay the bills, that's the dream. And that was the dream with baseball and that didn't work out and that's the dream with music. And so for me, this isn't anything other than something that I'm grateful for."

Young credits his success with a mix of talent, hard work and good fortune, fully aware of how lucky he really is.

"I never really understood – I mean, I lived in L.A. for 10 years and I never really understood people being full of themselves because they've been given an incredible opportunity," Young said. "It's not lost on me that you walk up and down Broadway [in Nashville] and there are people that are more talented than me that haven't been given a shot yet. So I'm grateful to be here and I'm going to soak up every second of it."

Young's sophomore Ticket to L.A. album, out Dec. 7, will include plenty of happy songs, since the record was written and recorded while he was falling in love ( again) with his bride, Taylor Mills.

"It is definitely a happier feeling album," Young said. "I did though, want to make sure that we didn't just put out 12 love songs. You alienate kind of half your audience at that point. I'm saying half being generous. Everybody has way more broken heart stories than happily ever after. So there's more uptempo songs and just the overall feel is happier. But I still put a good amount of break-up songs in there for the people that are connecting to those right now."

Young is currently headlining his CMT on Tour: Here Tonight trek. Find dates, and pre-order Ticket to L.A. at BrettYoungMusic.com.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/Slaven Vlasic