Chris Young Thanks Fans For Support After His Dad Suffers A Heart Attack
“I don’t even have the words…”
Chris Young; Photo by John Shearer
Chris Young’s stepfather, Michael Harris, suffered a heart attack over the weekend.
In an Instagram carousel posted on Monday, the country star shared an update with fans, revealing that his stepdad, whom he calls dad, is doing okay after the medical emergency, which occurred on June 29. Unfortunately, Young couldn’t be by his side as he was on the road. Despite the news, he continued with his show in Colorado, embodying the age-old phrase, “the show must go on.”
In his post, Young thanked fans for sticking by his side amid a tough show.
“Colorado! I don’t even have the words,” Young, 39, began. “On a day where my dad had a heart attack you lifted me up. I love country music fans. I’m happy I played. I’m happy my dad is ok. Much love to all of you.”
His Instagram post featured several concert photos, including a chilling image of him sitting on the edge of the catwalk, with fans illuminating the venue with their cell phone lights.
Though they may not share the same DNA, Chris Young and his stepfather are extremely close.
In 2021, he shared, “Everybody is like, ‘Oh y’all look so much alike! And he’s my stepdad, but that’s who I refer to as my dad.”
When he was a boy, Harris came to Young and asked his permission to marry his mom. This left a lasting impact on the singer/songwriter, who admits he feels incredibly lucky to have Harris as a dad.
“Basically, from the time he came into my mom’s life, my life, my sister’s life … he always treated me like a son,” he said.
Harris has a history of health issues, including a previous heart attack. According to Taste of Country, Harris was also diagnosed with lung cancer. In 2011, Young reportedly shared, “My dad had a heart attack six years ago, and in the past year and half he’s been diagnosed with lung cancer. They cut a third of his lung out [and] put him through chemo. He’s actually doing really well. He’s doing great.”
One thing that Young says he took away from witnessing Harris’ health struggles was the positive attitude he kept through it all.
“I don’t think I’ve ever really seen him get down in the dumps,” he explained. “He was always one of those people that was like, ‘You know, power through it and just be happy with what you have when you have it.’ Every day he gets up, it’s a good day, and that’s something I really think I’ll pass on to everybody. Be happy with what you’ve got in life.”
The chart-topping artist tributes his father on his latest album, Young Love & Saturday Nights, through the song “Getting Older.”
“Getting Older is a tune that a couple of my friends wrote,” Young recently explained. “And the only reason that I ever found it is because I was trying to write a song about my dad and I try it and try it and try it and just hadn’t gotten a good one yet. And I was writing with these guys and I was, we get to the end of the session. And I was like, Hey, do y’all have anything that you’ve written recently that you love? And this was the song they played me. I was just like, crap. That’s way better than anything that I’ve tried to write for my dad. I gotta cut this and definitely encapsulates, you know, how I look at my father.“
Chris Young is next scheduled to perform on July 4 in Nashville where he’s set to headline Musc City’s Let Freedom Sing! Event.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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