The Paris, IL, native was visiting Nashville for the first time early in his sophomore year at Chicago's Elmhurst College. He was at the Station Inn, an historic bluegrass/country venue where many of the greats of both worlds have played. His cousin Terry, a veteran of Dolly Parton's band and now a member of the Grascals, was playing with a band called the Sidemen, and a mesmerized Brett was in the crowd.
"There was something so real and truthful about the songs they were playing," he says. “What happened next came as a shock.”
"He asked me to come up on stage and told me to pick a song to play with the band," says Brett. I said, 'Amarillo By Morning,' and when I heard that fiddle intro, chills shot up my spine. I sang it for the crowd there and it was a magical experience. That was the point where I thought, 'This is it. This is something I've got to do.'"
By the start of the next school year, he had transferred to Middle Tennessee State University and begun the round of writers' nights and writing appointments that led him eventually to a record deal.
The talent that let him turn that dream into reality—the depth of his writing and the sheer power of his smoky and expressive baritone—are both apparent in his first single. "Raymond" is the poignant tale of a nursing home employee mistaken by a patient with Alzheimer's for her deceased son, who was killed at war. It is a song whose inspiring reaffirmation of their mutual humanity is affecting listeners deeply. The single rings true for Eldredge as his Grandmother currently struggles through the disease.
"There are a lot of things I'll play live where people will say, 'I like that,' or 'That's a really cool song,'" Brett says, "but when I do this one, I get the chance to tell people how special a thing it's been in my life, and it always touches someone. A lot of people know someone with Alzheimer's and people react in a really emotional way to it."
Brett has earned a reputation as much for the strength of his writing as for his world-class voice. He and co-writer Pat McLaughlin landed a song called "I Think I've Had Enough" on Gary Allan's latest album, Get Off On The Pain, and one of his frequent collaborators is Country Music Hall of Famer and Grand Ole Opry stalwart Bill Anderson.
"He's one of my favorite people to write with," says Brett. "I love the fact that he believes in country music so much, because it's something I really believe in. My dream, as I find my place in country music, is one day to be an Opry member."
Brett heard all kinds of music growing up, and became a particular fan of the classic pop singers he heard in his grandfather's car.
"I heard a lot of Frank Sinatra, who is still a favorite of mine, and Ray Charles and Bobby Darin," he says. "When my mother convinced me to sing 'Mack The Knife' at a talent show, I got hooked on singing in public."
That was in Paris, a town of 9,000 with "cornfields and factories and lake right in the middle." Brett, his older brother and his parents—a traveling grain salesman and a nurse—lived on the lake and, says Brett, "We were on the water every day, from the time I was so little they could pull me on water skis in a paddle boat until I left for college at 18." Sports were a big part of his life, and he played basketball, baseball and football in high school.
He also sang everywhere he could, often the Big Band music of Sinatra, earning spending money and learning to work a stage. His appreciation for country music became a passion when he turned 16 and he and a friend rode around listening to a Brooks & Dunn greatest hits album.
"There was something about it that just struck me," he says. "I couldn't get enough of it. Ronnie Dunn is one of my favorite singers of all time—I love the soul in his voice—and one of the main reasons I got into this in the first place."
Brett spent two years in Chicago, where his older brother lived, performing with a school jazz band and with a Big Band around the region.
"One of the coolest gigs," he says, "was at the Field Museum, I was singing in front of a 12-piece band under this huge Tyrannosaurus Rex statue near some mammoths. It was quite the experience."
Then came that fateful visit to Nashville and his transfer to MTSU. He studied classic country stylists like Ray Price and George Jones, and later Vince Gill, absorbing everything he could.
"I was driving back and forth Nashville every day from Murfreesboro, which is thirty miles away," he says. "I had a guitar Terry had given me, which was originally a gift from Dolly, and I'd pretty much lock myself in my room and make myself learn songs. I would play writers' nights all around Nashville. There might be two people, there might be 40 or 50. I'd go play my songs and see what people liked and what they didn't. I'd screw up royally in front of them, but I learned."
He earned a degree, which, he says, "made Mom and Dad happy, and then I moved on to what I really wanted to do.
A staff writer for hit producer/publisher Byron Gallimore heard him at a writers' night and introduced him to Byron, who signed him.
"I wrote for about two years, developing my craft and writing with everyone I could. In the beginning, Byron just let me kind of find myself, because that takes a while. As you write more you starting homing in on what you sound good on. Eventually, Byron said, 'You've got something here' and we went in and started cutting songs. We did a showcase, and Carole Ann Mobley from Warner Music Nashville said, 'We've gotta sign this kid'. Mobley and Craig Kallman then signed Brett to Atlantic Records, making him the first official signing for the new imprint.
As he worked with his band tightening his show, he was offered a particularly gratifying gig.
"I opened for Blake Shelton at The Ryman and it was the coolest experience. I flew back from this house gig and all of a sudden I'm thrown into playing the Mother Church of Country Music, something I always dreamed of doing. I was operating on almost no sleep, but stepping out on that stage where everybody who's anybody in country music has been meant the world to me."
He remains active in sports, playing basketball and volleyball and playing on an intramural softball team in Nashville, and rooting for the Cubs and Bears. Meanwhile, he is dedicated to improving his craft.
"As a songwriter," he says, "my aim is to portray a little bit of me and my life along with the stories of other people and turn them into something that can really touch somebody's heart and soul. We sit down on Music Row every day and write songs and every once in a while a song like ‘Raymond’ comes from such a real place. I hope it's that real to other people and that I can make them feel the way I felt when I wrote it and when I sing it."
Judging from audience reaction, that’s exactly what he’s doing.
Haven't Met You
Brett Eldredge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh oh
There's a half a million sunsets I haven't got to show you
Don't ask me how I know, but I know they steal your breath
And I can almost feel the feeling that you're gonna give me,
Especially when you kiss me like no one ever has
It's so real I can't explain it, keep me waiting
You could be the dream that I've always chased, every second, every place,
Always looking for your face and I know it's one I'll never forget
So I guess I haven't met you yet
I saw two people talking in a corner booth cafe,
All looking so in love thinking that could be us someday
I don't know what you're doing, I don't know where you are,
But I swear girl when I meet ya, you already have my heart
You could be in Dallas or L.A., thirty thousand feet up on a plane
You could be the dream that I've always chased, every second, every place,
Always looking for your face and I know it's one I'll never forget
So I guess I haven't met you yet
Not yet I still haven't got to hold you
Not yet I'm still tossing around this bed
Not yet I want you in my arms and out of my head
You could be in Dallas or L.A., thirty thousand feet up on a plane
Wherever you are girl I'm on my way, every second, every place,
Always looking for your face and I know it's one I'll never forget
So I guess I haven't met you yet
I guess I haven't met you yet
Oh I haven't met you yet
I haven't met you, I haven't met you, I haven't met you
Oh oh, uh uh
Oh oh, uh uh
Oh oh, uh uh
Oh oh, uh uh
Oh oh
Oh oh
In Brett Eldredge's song "Haven't Met You Yet," the lyrics revolve around the anticipation and longing for a future love. The song expresses the idea that despite not having met this person yet, the singer is certain they will have a deep connection.
The opening lines, "There's a half a million sunsets I haven't got to show you/Don't ask me how I know, but I know they steal your breath," suggest a profound understanding of the future love's impact on the singer's life. It speaks to the idea that the singer believes this person will bring immense joy and wonder to their existence.
The song continues with the sentiment that the love interest could be anywhere, such as Dallas or L.A., and the singer is constantly searching for their face. It implies a sense of urgency and determination in finding this person, as they are depicted as the dream the singer has always pursued. The line "but I swear girl when I meet ya, you already have my heart" signifies a deep emotional connection even before they encounter each other.
The chorus further emphasizes the longing and yearning, stating that the singer hasn't met this person yet but is eagerly awaiting the moment. The lyrics illustrate the desire to hold the love interest, to have them in their arms, and ultimately to have them out of their head, suggesting an overwhelming preoccupation with thoughts of this future love.
Overall, the song captures the anticipation, hope, and longing for a soulmate, emphasizing the belief that despite not having met yet, there is a profound connection waiting to be discovered.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a half a million sunsets I haven't got to show you
I have countless beautiful moments and experiences that I want to share with you.
Don't ask me how I know, but I know they steal your breath
I can't explain it, but I am certain that these moments will take your breath away.
And I can almost feel the feeling that you're gonna give me
I can sense the incredible emotions and love that you will bring into my life.
Especially when you kiss me like no one ever has
Your kisses will be so unique and special, unlike anything I've ever experienced before.
It's so real I can't explain it, keep me waiting
The love I feel for you is so intense and genuine that it leaves me speechless, eagerly waiting for our meeting.
You could be in Dallas or L.A., thirty thousand feet upon a plane
You could be anywhere, traveling to different cities or flying high above, but my love for you remains constant.
You could be the dream that I've always chased, every second, every place
You might be the person I've always dreamed of finding, and I am constantly searching for you in every moment and every location.
Always looking for your face and I know it's one I'll never forget
I am constantly searching for your face, and I am certain that once I see it, it will be etched in my memory forever.
So I guess I haven't met you yet
Based on the experiences I've described, it's clear that I haven't met you yet, but I eagerly await our meeting.
I saw two people talking in a corner booth cafe
I witnessed two individuals deeply in love having a conversation in a cozy cafe.
All looking so in love thinking that could be us someday
Seeing them made me imagine a future where we could be just as deeply in love as they are.
I don't know what you're doing, I don't know where you are
I have no knowledge of your current activities or whereabouts.
But I swear girl when I meet ya, you already have my heart
Despite not knowing you yet, I can confidently say that upon meeting you, you will have captured my heart completely.
Not yet I still haven't got to hold you
I haven't had the pleasure of embracing you in my arms.
Not yet I'm still tossing around this bed
I am still restless, longing for you, and unable to find peace in my bed without you.
Not yet I want you in my arms and out of my head
I desire to have you in my arms, relieving me of the constant thoughts and yearning for you that occupy my mind.
Wherever you are girl I'm on my way, every second, every place
No matter where you are, I am determined to find you, continuously searching for you in every passing moment and location.
So I guess I haven't met you yet
Given my ongoing quest and the emotions I've described, it's clear that I haven't met you yet, but I am eagerly on my way to find you.
Oh I haven't met you yet
I haven't had the opportunity to meet you, but I eagerly anticipate that moment.
I haven't met you, I haven't met you, I haven't met you
Repeating that I haven't met you emphasizes my strong longing to finally meet you.
Oh oh, uh uh
Vocalization expressing a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.
Oh oh, uh uh
Vocalization expressing a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.
Oh oh, uh uh
Vocalization expressing a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.
Oh oh, uh uh
Vocalization expressing a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.
Oh oh
Vocalization expressing a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.
Oh oh
Vocalization expressing a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROSS COPPERMAN, BRETT ELDREDGE, HEATHER LYNN MORGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Melinda Collins
Guilty as charged I listen to it every night to Lullaby myself to sleep. It’s on my repeat replay playlist on Spotify and I always say my prayers to god to protect my future husband whoever that Might be and that when it is God’s timing he’d help me to know and them to know.
An Oog Life
OMG BRETT!!!!!! this song stole my heart!❤️ these lyrics are so deep and real! I am crying my heart out but at the same time, I can't stop smiling! Something about this song just kills me😭❤️ definitely tears of joy! Keep it up! And by the way your making me go broke with all your amazing albums❤️😘
michelle dermgrdichian
@kaden Paulk i totally agree
G R
calm down -_-
Brenda Johnson
Love the song
kaden Paulk
An Oog Life I agree. He makes the realest, honest, deep, music that gets your right in your heart and soul.
irene Meier
I love this song - the music is soooo smooth on his songs - he is wonderful
Riley Childers
Omg, I love this song so much!! You have and never will make a song I won't love. Your voice is so amazing!!! I love you so much Brett!! Keep doin you, because it is amazing!!
Cassie Levy
I'm so in love with this song, and actually the whole album 💕 I don't think he can write a bad song!
Mia Lulu
I love this man's voice and the lyrics 💓