He is one of country's brightest young stars--and he is a man on a mission.

Brian Milson, who has ridden an electric stage presence and an enviable road apprenticeship into the national spotlight, is well aware of country music's affiliation with good causes. Few artists, though, ever embrace one so early and so effectively.

Brian's breakthrough single, "Nothing Grows In Shadows," not only establishes him as a singer to be reckoned with, it makes a powerful and compelling statementabout a genuine societal plague--bullying.

"I was bullied as a kid," says the Odessa, TX-born singer, "and I'm afraid I did a little of it myself, so this song means a great deal to me. The statistics are just horrendous--one out of four kids is bullied. On any given day, kids just stay home out ofa fear of bullying. And 85 percent of the time, there's no intervention. This is a song that addresses that."

"Nothing Grows in Shadows" tackles the subject head-on, challenging those who perpetuate it and offering support to those who fall victim, before wrapping it up in a verse that makes the subject spine-tinglingly personal.

As in the best songs, though, it is effective because of Brian's delivery. His is an honest, straightforward style perfectly suited to the dramatic storyline and the admonition that it's up to all of us to make a difference. The song is a stirring blend of craft and emotion, displaying the kind of vocal power and integrity that mark all of Brian's work.

"NothingGrows in Shadows" is the public's first taste of an album Brian cut inNashville with one of the all-time great producers, James Stroud (Toby Keith,Willie Nelson, Tim McGraw, Chris Young).

“Briancan just flat out sing,” says Stroud, with an air of authority on the topic. “There’s a power and a depth to his voicethat’s extremely rare and just draws you in to these songs.”

It'seasy, hearing Brian on record or watching him live, to understand why he'sgotten the call to open for the likes of Joe Nichols, Easton Corbin and NealMcCoy, or for his idol Willie Nelson, a gig that found Brian "in front ofthree thousand of the most diverse audience members you could run across. Theyhad all come to see a musical icon and for me to be a part of that was reallysomething special."

Brianis a product of Odessa, the West Texas town that gave the world "FridayNight Lights," about Permian High School, the town's football powerhouseand embodiment of the quasi-religious phenomenon known as Texas football. Brianplayed for a year, but baseball and golf were his sports. But it was actuallymusic that captured much of his time and attention from an early age.

"Thevery first song I knew the words to was 'Blue Skies,' which was on Willie's Stardust album," he says."There’s a home video of me singing it back when I was four or five yearsold." Brian developed a love for his father's favorites, Hank Sr. andErnest Tubb, and went on to become a fan of music that embraced Motown, classicand current rock and even classical music.

"Ijoined the choir," he says, "and I came to appreciate Beethoven. Notevery seventh-grader enjoys that sort of thing, but it's cool when you know howto sing something in a different language." By the time he was a senior inhigh school, he had auditioned successfully for Permian High's Black Magic showchoir, a select group that performs widely in the area.

"Itwas the finest year of my life to that point," he says. "I can'tdescribe how much fun it was. The other members became like my extendedfamily--the way no one except my current band mates ever has. And the educationwas priceless--we did everything from Handel's 'Messiah' to Marvin Gaye's 'HowSweet It Is.'”

Thatyear, the choir was voted the state's #1 mixed chorus by Texas Music EducatorsAssociation. Meanwhile, Brian was drawninto popular music by two guitar-playing friends who helped spur him to learnto play. One friend was a classic rocker and the other was, he says, "ascountry as you can get. The first song I heard him play was 'Amarillo ByMorning.' It really hit home to me how true country music is and what it can doto your emotions."

Hisfirst performance outside of the show choir was at Permian's Cinco de Mayofestival. "I did, 'I Can Still MakeCheyenne,'" he says, "and it was the most nervous I've ever been. Ihad to keep my knees bent just to keep from getting light-headed, but thereception I got was unreal. It was better than any buzz I've ever had."

Hebegan playing house parties during his freshman year at Texas Tech. He was majoringin music and learning theory but,” he says, "I was always trying to learnthe new Strait and Garth songs."

Beforelong, he got the chance to open a show for a friend in Lubbock.

"Itwas so much fun, I knew right then there was not another option besides makingmusic for me," he says. He opened more shows and then put his own bandtogether.

Theband recorded a self-produced album called WalkingA Thin Line in 2008--by then, Brian was writing, thanks in part to abreak-up he decided to commit to paper. In 2010, he recorded two singles inNashville, using session players and learning more about the studio and his ownsinging ability. Both hit the Top 40 onthe Texas charts.

Thateducation, in fact, has been non-stop since those early days of hearing HankSr. and Ernest Tubb in his dad's truck.

"Ipay attention to everything," he says of the music of his idols, "andI try to let it help shape the way I express myself vocally and on stage."

Theresulting growth has been phenomenal.

"I'llnever forget that first gig I did," he says. "I'll bet I didn't movetwo inches in the entire set. These days I like to consider myself more of ahigh-energy performer, someone who's braver and a lot more confident. When itcomes down to it, it's all about emotion. Technique is always there in the backof my mind, but it's the feeling that carries it. That's what delivers asong."

He hastoured throughout the Southwest with his band and done acoustic shows acrossthe country, introducing himself and his music to fans and radio stationsalike.

Now,with the release of "Nothing Grows In Shadows," all that educationand experience has come together. For the young man from Odessa, the journey isjust beginning.