Luke Bryan Reigns At Spring Break Panama City

Chris Young Celebrates Busy Week with Awards and a Nod as One of PEOPLE Country’s Hottest Guys

Week Includes Honors for Back-to-Back #1 Singles and 500,000 Digital Transactions for “Gettin’ You Home” after Winning Fan-Voted Nationwide Insurance On Your Side Award

Nashville, TN – RCA Nashville chart-topper Chris Young is among the favorite men selected as Country’s Hottest Guys in the July issue of PEOPLE Country.  Featuring a two-page photo of Young, the issue is on newsstands today in the Nashville area and will be available nationwide next week.

It’s been an exciting week for Chris, who performed on Wednesday’s 2010 CMT Music Awards.  Young was also named the winner of the fan-voted Nationwide Insurance On Your Side Award in conjunction with the show, a special, fan-voted award recognizing country’s hottest rising stars.

Young’s honors continued into Thursday, when a combination early 25th birthday party and celebration for his three-week #1 smash, “The Man I Want to Be,” found Chris playing to a packed house of industry and fans at Nashville’s Tin Roof.  Chris’ set included a guest appearance by country great Gene Watson, who joined Young on stage for a performance of the classic “Mama Tried.”  Among the presentations at the event, Young was given a plaque celebrating back-to-back #1 singles (for “The Man I Want to Be” and last fall’s “Gettin’ You Home”) and another recognizing 500,000 digital transactions for “Gettin’ You Home.”

This afternoon, Young performed as part of the 2010 CMA Music Festival, appearing at the downtown Riverfront Park Stage in Nashville, and he’s also performing at today’s second annual Guitars of the Stars Benefit Auction at the Ryman Auditorium.  The event provides fans the opportunity to bid on acoustic guitars decorated by some of country’s top stars, all to benefit the Grand Ole Opry’s Opry Trust Fund, with funds earmarked for victims of the recent flooding in Middle Tennessee.  In addition to the other celebrity guitars up for auction, Young will contribute a guitar personalized for a winning bidder this afternoon.

On Chris’ actual birthday, June 12, activities will include his official fan club event, as well as the fourth annual CMA Fan Social presented by CMT.  The Fan Social will feature Young among a line-up of artists performing a few songs acoustically, as well as signing autographs.  For more information on the Fan Social – including how to watch even if you’re not in Nashville – visit www.cmt.com.

CMA Music Festival attendees can also look for Chris in the Greased Lighting Fan Fair Hall, where he will be autographing for fans all day in his booth on Sunday.

For more information on the CMA Music Festival, visit www.cmafest.com.

For all the latest information on Chris Young, visit www.chrisyoungcountry.com.