November 21, 2009

Chris Young's previous single, the sultry "Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)," earned the Murfreesboro, Tenn., native his first No. 1 country hit, and his follow-up also has the potential to reach the summit. Penned by Brett James and Tim Nichols, "The Man I Want to Be" is a thoughtful ballad written from the perspective of a man who knows he's made mistakes, as Young sings, "I want to be a good man/A do-like-I-should man/The kind of man the mirror likes to see." Young has a rich, resonant voice and delivers a potent vocal that is emotional, yet restrained. It's a remarkably seasoned performance by a young talent who has the vocal chops and sensibility to follow in the footsteps of his hero, Keith Whitley. Yes, that's high praise, but Young has earned it. —Deborah Evans Price

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