“It was literally beyond incredible. I didn’t know literally a week could go so perfect,” Baylee Littrell said of his experience at his first CMA Music Fest earlier this month. With a clear passion for country music and Nashville, he is humble and grateful for the experience.
Littrell, who is the son of Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys, said his dream came true by being invited to play at CMA Music Fest. “I feel so honored honestly because it’s been my dream to play country music and to be able to play that show, play Maui Jim [Broadway Stage] right out in front of Bridgestone [Arena] in the middle of a town that means so much to me was incredible,” he said.
In addition to showcasing many country artists over a four-day event, CMA Music Fest also benefits music education and being a part of that cause was a big deal for Littrell. “My whole life I’ve been brought up in a music world and I want other kids to experience that. I want us to have more musicians because we need them,” Littrell said, adding that he wishes people would be educated on music like they are educated on sports.
Playing CMA Fest was the biggest stage Littrell has played so far in his career. He noted that there were even people on rooftops and taking videos of his performance. Still, he said it wasn’t that much of a stress to create a setlist for such a big performance. He had put cards with his set list on the tables at past shows and asked his audience to circle their favorites. He also watched how people reacted to certain songs during the shows. “We just all agreed being CMA Fest we had to keep our high tempo songs and go out there knowing what was the best for the fans,” Littrell said. “Being CMA Fest, you’ve got to be loud. You’ve got to get people’s attention, so we took our most aggressive songs and we came out there. I think it was honestly still the best set list we’ve had so far. It worked out really well.”
Littrell did a meet and greet with Tree Vibez and also did a meet and greet on the Tree Vibez bus. He said he had witnessed his dad do meet and greets. He was surprised how quickly he goes, adding that he met a hundred people in what felt like about five seconds.
During the meet and greets, a lot of people told him how much they liked his music. He said he saw a lot of people from his dad’s hometown. There were people that told him that they lived 20 minutes from him. “It’s such a small world seeing those people in meet and greets,” he said.
He said Backstreet Boys fans, his dad’s fans who have been around for 25 years, came out to support him. “That means the world as well,” Littrell added. He said basically everyone he met stands out in some way because they all have a story to tell and it’s a pretty incredible story.
Littrell recalled a little kid who came up and asked for his autograph. “That made my whole trip,” he said. It made him remember when he was in that child’s shoes and was dreaming about that moment. “What he did by just asking for a signature and asking for a picture, it made my week, It made me feel invincible,” he said.
He has received advice from his dad over the years. He credits his mom and his dad for teaching him to be the person he is today. “I am a work in progress like we all are,” he said. “I want to be genuine. I want to be a good person. If I could meet some of my heroes, I would really want them to be genuine and I want to sit and talk to them if I could.” For Littrell, his hero is Tim McGraw. He said he hasn’t had a chance to meet him yet.
Littrell was moved that so many people wanted to meet him. “I’m no different than anybody else, but you hear my music and you listen to it and you want to meet me,” he said. “That means the world.”
Even though his dad is part of an iconic pop band, Littrell grew up surrounded by country music. He said he remembers listening to artists like Jason Aldean and McGraw with his parents. When he went to his grandma’s house, they would listen to artists such as Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash and George Strait. “I was always surrounded by country music in some way, especially going to my grandma’s house,” he said. “That’s what we do all week long. If I went there during summer break from school and I would stay a week. We would just listen to country music in the car, on her porch, cooking dinner. It was always on.” Littrell remembers thinking that he would feel accomplished if he could have a song like that and his grandma could play it in her house.
Littrell said he likes what country is doing right now and he likes some of the new country. “I like the movement, but I was raised on tradition and I was raised on traditional country,” he said, adding that he wants to keep his music right in the middle so he’s not going too far one way or the other so people can relate it a little bit better.
Starting next month, Littrell will be opening the North American leg of the Backstreet Boys DNA tour through mid-September. “We will be on that long run and I can’t wait,” he said. “I’m so excited. I’m counting down the days until this tour starts.”
Littrell has grown up with the guys in the Backstreet Boys. “They are like my four uncles and there’s my dad. It’s nothing new. The only new thing is being the opening act, which is so amazing. It’s what I’ve dreamed about with them,” he said, adding that he’s watched the opening act and he’s always wanted that spot.
He is looking forward to playing large venues. He said he is debating now whether his show will change when he starts playing arenas with the Backstreet Boys. “The set list for CMA Fest worked, so we will see what happens,” he added. Littrell expects to play 25-30 minutes as the opening act.
Littrell’s album is expected to be out late August or early September. He said there are two more songs. Most of the songs on the album will be written by Tree Vibez writers. However, Littrell hopes one of his originals will make the album. “If not, I’m already thinking about the next record and what’s going to be on that,” he said, adding that he would love to have most of his material on that project.
Littrell released “Don’t Knock It” last November and his current single, “Boxes,” was released in May.
“It’s a busy year, but it’s the best year,” Littrell said of the things happening for him musically in 2019. “I’m going to do my best to make a mark in country music and in the world.”