Chris Young Delivers Moving Performance of ‘Drowning’ In Honor of Kane Brown’s Late Drummer

Chris Young made an appearance at Wednesday’s CMT Artists of the Year event to perform his emotional new single, “Drowning,”…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

October 17, 2019

10:24 am

Chris Young; Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for CMT/Viacom

Chris Young made an appearance at Wednesday’s CMT Artists of the Year event to perform his emotional new single, “Drowning,” in honor of Kane Brown’s drummer, Kenny Dixon, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 27.

“I wrote this song about a friend of mine that passed away too soon in a car accident,” Young shared as he took the stage. “I kind of empathize with Kane and what he’s going through and I really appreciate him allowing me to stand up here tonight and sing this in honor of his friend, Kenny.”

He went on to deliver a chilling performance of “Drowning,” which finds Young reminiscing about someone who was “taken way too soon.”

“So tonight I’m gonna pull out pictures / Ones with you in ’em / Laugh and cry a little while reminiscing by myself / I can’t help at all but think about it / How you were taken way too soon / It ain’t the same here without you / I’ve gotta say, missin’ you comes in waves / And tonight I’m drowning,” he sings throughout the chorus.

Young received a standing ovation for his heartfelt performance.

https://youtu.be/VCfGODih2Rg

Young’s performance was just one of several emotional moments throughout the night, including Thomas Rhett’s impromptu prayer and Brown’s heartwrenching acceptance speech where he dedicated his award to his longtime friend and band member.

Kenny Dixon, 27, passed away on Saturday after reportedly losing control of his car while traveling on Interstate 24 in Christiana, Tenn. He leaves behind a fiancée and young son.

Dixon will be laid to rest on Sunday, October 20.

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.