--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was writing and playing in California…" description: "\"I was writing and playing in California for 11 years before I moved to Nashville.\" — Brett Young" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a4/brett-young-11805_before_i-was-writing-and-playing-in-california_1462522.jpg" --- # I was writing and playing in California for 11 years… ![“I was writing and playing in California for 11 years before I moved to Nashville.” quote by Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a4/brett-young-11805_before_i-was-writing-and-playing-in-california_1462522.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a4/brett-young-11805_before_i-was-writing-and-playing-in-california_1462522.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a4/brett-young-11805_before_i-was-writing-and-playing-in-california_1462522.jpg) > “I was writing and playing in California for 11 years before I moved to Nashville.” [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He spent over a decade creating music in California before relocating to Nashville, highlighting a major career shift. **In simple terms:** He moved from California to Nashville after 11 years of work. Key Takeaway Consider how location impacts creative growth. Themes career music relocation growth culture Mood reflective determined Type personal narrative career transition When to use this quote - songwriting sessions - live performances - networking events - studio work Key Concepts creative process regional influence industry networks Questions to Reflect On - How did the move affect your songwriting style? - What challenges did you face adapting to a new music scene? A Different Perspective Changing cities may disrupt personal relationships and stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [11 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/11-years/) [Before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) [California](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/california/) [California 11](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/california-11-5287163/) [Moved Nashville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moved-nashville-277209/) [Nashville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nashville/) [Playing California](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-california-5287164/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Years Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-moved-379022/) ## Related quotes > [I moved to Nashville with the same kind of mindset that I had in L.A., and that is to make sure you don't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-moved-to-nashville-with-the-same-kind-of-mindset-that-i-had-in-l-a/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [I'm from Tullahoma, TN which is an hour south of Nashville, and I grew up and wanted to be like Garth Brooks, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lynch/i-m-from-tullahoma-tn-which-is-an-hour-south-of-nashville-and-i-grew/) [Dustin Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lynch/) > [I can only say the first thing that pops into my mind is I remember, years ago, seeing kind of a has-been country singer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/i-can-only-say-the-first-thing-that-pops-into-my-mind-is-i-remember/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) > [When I was 15, my mom and I packed everything up and moved to Nashville so I could pursue my dream in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsea-ballerini/when-i-was-15-my-mom-and-i-packed-everything-up-and-moved-to/) [Kelsea Ballerini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsea-ballerini/) > [There was a period of time when I first moved to Nashville, like the first couple of years, that I was just simply lost.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hill/there-was-a-period-of-time-when-i-first-moved-to-nashville-like-the/) [Faith Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hill/) > [I remember in the '80s, Randy Travis was my guy. He's the reason I moved to Nashville, and I just loved him. But at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-brooks/i-remember-in-the-80s-randy-travis-was-my-guy-he-s-the-reason-i-moved/) [Garth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-brooks/) > [I moved to Nashville at 17 to make music, and since then I've put everything I have into doing it right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-shelton/i-moved-to-nashville-at-17-to-make-music-and-since-then-i-ve-put/) [Blake Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-shelton/) > [I finished high school, moved to Nashville for college, and set out to break into the music business. Every night when I called home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trisha-yearwood/i-finished-high-school-moved-to-nashville-for-college-and-set-out-to/) [Trisha Yearwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trisha-yearwood/) > [I think the defining moment in my career is the day that I moved to Nashville - September 1, 2001. That's the biggest step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-think-the-defining-moment-in-my-career-is-the-day-that-i-moved-to/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I moved cities for about four months to try to provoke some inspiration and put myself in an uncomfortable situation where I would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-wertz/i-moved-cities-for-about-four-months-to-try-to-provoke-some/) [Matt Wertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-wertz/) > [The truth is, that's what we moved to Nashville to do - to learn how to write hit songs. We weren't necessarily trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ramsey/the-truth-is-that-s-what-we-moved-to-nashville-to-do-to-learn-how-to/) [Matthew Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ramsey/) > [I had no idea when I moved to Nashville people just were songwriters. I had no idea. So I guess I was selling myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-monroe/i-had-no-idea-when-i-moved-to-nashville-people-just-were-songwriters/) [Ashley Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-monroe/) > [When I moved to Nashville, I've made a decision to not see my family on their birthdays and Christmases, and this and that and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lainey-wilson/when-i-moved-to-nashville-i-ve-made-a-decision-to-not-see-my-family/) [Lainey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lainey-wilson/) > [All I knew when I moved to Nashville was that I wanted to make music in whatever shape and form I could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-hayes/all-i-knew-when-i-moved-to-nashville-was-that-i-wanted-to-make-music/) [Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/) > [I was pretty gung-ho about music and pursuing that and figuring that whole thing out, so I was wide-eyed and ready to go when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hunt/i-was-pretty-gung-ho-about-music-and-pursuing-that-and-figuring-that/) [Sam Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hunt/) ## More by Brett Young > [I say this all the time: I've always been really good at managing my expectations so that I'm not let down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-say-this-all-the-time-i-ve-always-been-really-good-at-managing-my/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [I had the best example set by my parents for what a couple can - and, in my opinion, should - be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-had-the-best-example-set-by-my-parents-for-what-a-couple-can-and-in/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [Californian artists are kind of willing to push the limits a little bit further just because that's kind of our mentality in that state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/californian-artists-are-kind-of-willing-to-push-the-limits-a-little/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [I turned on 'One Tree Hill,' heard the opening song, and went, 'I got to know whose voice that is.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-turned-on-one-tree-hill-heard-the-opening-song-and-went-i-got-to/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [There's a fundamental difference between how often men remember to say 'I love you' and how often women want to hear 'I love you.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/there-s-a-fundamental-difference-between-how-often-men-remember-to/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [I don't really see why some of those topical lines have to be crossed to get a point across. I want a mother and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-don-t-really-see-why-some-of-those-topical-lines-have-to-be-crossed/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [I have to be inspired to write a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-have-to-be-inspired-to-write-a-song/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [The only way to have longevity is to have good songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/the-only-way-to-have-longevity-is-to-have-good-songs/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [The fact of the matter is, if music is something that you want to do, you need to stick with it with the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-if-music-is-something-that-you-want-to-do/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [When it's your words, and then you watch it connect with an audience as the artist, I kinda reflect back on the writing process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/when-it-s-your-words-and-then-you-watch-it-connect-with-an-audience/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [I always say, 'If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.' I couldn't be happier with where I ended up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-always-say-if-you-want-to-make-god-laugh-tell-him-your-plans-i/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [While I don't feel like I'm an evangelist, country music is about to give me a platform, and so keeping it topically acceptable for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/while-i-don-t-feel-like-i-m-an-evangelist-country-music-is-about-to/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [I get to share the stage with some of the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-get-to-share-the-stage-with-some-of-the-best/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [For me, I never really understood why certain lines had to be crossed in order to get a point across. There's a PG way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/for-me-i-never-really-understood-why-certain-lines-had-to-be-crossed/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [It's funny how God will change your plans for you when he's ready.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/it-s-funny-how-god-will-change-your-plans-for-you-when-he-s-ready/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) [Explore all 57 Brett Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) ## More Before quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. I read what I wrote the day before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/my-writing-routine-is-get-son-off-to-school-and-sit-down-at-8-a-m-i/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [There aren't traditions of freedom in a place like Iraq. They're going to have to come to grips with a concept that they hadn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wallop/there-aren-t-traditions-of-freedom-in-a-place-like-iraq-they-re-going/) [Malcolm Wallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wallop/) > [I don't like just traveling in for a short time. I've done that before, because sometimes you work for magazines and they have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sacco/i-don-t-like-just-traveling-in-for-a-short-time-i-ve-done-that-before/) [Joe Sacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sacco/) > [Music is almost like a therapy for me. It helps keep me centered and think straight. Before I discovered it, I was walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/music-is-almost-like-a-therapy-for-me-it-helps-keep-me-centered-and/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [My first company, Pure Software, was exciting and innovative in the first few years and bureaucratic and painful in the last few before it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/my-first-company-pure-software-was-exciting-and-innovative-in-the/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [For the Russian masses, the proletarians, knew for certain, and already saw during the war, and in part before their very eyes, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-gorter/for-the-russian-masses-the-proletarians-knew-for-certain-and-already/) [Herman Gorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-gorter/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) [Joe Pitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-pitts/) > [I've been told before, and I tend to believe it, I'm not like most actresses out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-ve-been-told-before-and-i-tend-to-believe-it-i-m-not-like-most/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Before I got addicted to comedy, I was seriously thinking about playing tennis full time. I joined the tennis team and played with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrot-top/before-i-got-addicted-to-comedy-i-was-seriously-thinking-about/) [Carrot Top](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrot-top/) > [But even before I was in the military, I was extremely jumpy when asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/but-even-before-i-was-in-the-military-i-was-extremely-jumpy-when/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [When I'm making stuff, the thing that excites me most is not the result, but the process and trying to do something I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-jonze/when-i-m-making-stuff-the-thing-that-excites-me-most-is-not-the/) [Spike Jonze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-jonze/) > [I've pulled ticks off of me before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-ve-pulled-ticks-off-of-me-before/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [You know, before I would think, my cab driver hates me. Now I think my limo driver hates me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/you-know-before-i-would-think-my-cab-driver-hates-me-now-i-think-my/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) [Browse all 4,123 Before quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was writing and playing in California for 11 years before I moved to Nashville.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brett Young" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-was-writing-and-playing-in-california-for-11-years-before-i-moved/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Before" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-was-writing-and-playing-in-california-for-11-years-before-i-moved/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a4/brett-young-11805_before_i-was-writing-and-playing-in-california_1462522.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a4/brett-young-11805_before_i-was-writing-and-playing-in-california_1462522.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a4/brett-young-11805_before_i-was-writing-and-playing-in-california_1462522.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was writing and playing in California for 11 years before I moved to Nashville.” — Brett Young", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brett Young", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was writing and playing in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-was-writing-and-playing-in-california-for-11-years-before-i-moved/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-was-writing-and-playing-in-california-for-11-years-before-i-moved/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```