Kenny Chesney Scales Back for 2019 Tour

Kenny Chesney on Country Music News

Country music megastar Kenny Chesney plans on stripping it all back a bit for his 2019 tour. Focusing on the heartland, mid-Atlantic and South over the course of three months, it’s a chance for the songwriter/superstar from East Tennessee to get into several cities without stadiums. Find out more at Country Music News Blog and Country Music On Tour! Continue reading Kenny Chesney Scales Back for 2019 Tour

Kenny Chesney To Donate Proceeds From ‘Songs For The Saints’ To Love For Love City Fund

Kenny Chesney Tour News | Photo Credit: Allister Ann

BLUE CHAIR/WARNER BROS./WEA’s KENNY CHESNEY will donate proceeds from his forthcoming album, “Songs For The Saints,” to his LOVE FOR LOVE CITY FUND benefiting the VIRGIN ISLANDS. CHESNEY launched the foundation in SEPTEMBER to help areas being affected by HURRICANE IRMA (NET NEWS 9/11/17). CHESNEY penned “Songs For The Saints” and “Love For Love City” in the days following HURRICANE IRMA and will use proceeds from the album to continue to support the island’s recovery efforts. “I didn’t necessarily have ‘a plan,’ but these songs needed to be written,” said CHESNEY. “And, a friend said, ‘You should call the album “Songs For The Saints,” make it something that honors the people and the life on those islands, but also provides for them long after what happened has fallen off the news cycle.’ It hit me, that was what I was already doing and hadn’t realized it. I never in the world thought I’d talk to FEMA people, but every day, there was a new problem to solve. I’ve never made a record in the middle of such chaos and anxiety, but I took every bit of that into the studio – and you can hear it in the vocals. Looking back, what a beautiful way to make a record for people I love so much. And, now, I can give that music back to them in a way that makes a difference.” CHESNEY’s “Songs For The Saints” album is scheduled to street FRIDAY, JULY 27th.

First Listen: Kenny Chesney – Songs For the Saints

Kenny Chesney Tour News | Photo Credit: Allister Ann

New Song is the Title Track from Album Due July 27 When Kenny Chesney made Songs for the Saints, he was in the midst of evacuating friends from the handful of Caribbean islands, flying in generators, water, medical supplies and tools to the ones starting the clean-up and writing as in-the-moment as he ever has. With his Trip Around The Sun Tour now off to a resounding start – it played to a sold-out 51,312 at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium this weekend – he’s ready to start sharing the music with his fervent No Shoes Nation. In trying to hone in on the song that embodies the deeply personal song cycle to introduce Songs, Chesney settled on the title track. Lean, stretched across a single acoustic guitar figure that’s picked with resolve and a certain strength, “Song for the Saints” will be available everywhere on June 1. “There’s so much to say, and so much music on this record,” Chesney offers. “Knowing where to start was hard andeasy, because this is the song that really holds everything together. It’s a tribute to those islands and their unstoppable spirit. Even as people were coming off the islands – some just to not tax the limited resources – so many of my friends were digging in, trying to figure out what needed to be done and getting on to the work of clearing debris, creating habitable space for those staying and reminding all of us how Island Strong they all are.” Songs for the Saints captures the transformation of vulnerability into unspeakable strength and courage. Tempering the devastation that Hurricanes Irma and Maria left across the bracelet of islands known as the Saints with an unstoppable elation and celebration, the album renders the essence of the freedom the songwriter/superstar found there – and the deep joy and humanity the residents demonstrate on a daily basis. “When I arrived on St. John, on a day off after taking a ferry all by myself, I walked down a street in a very special place and heard George Jones floating out a door of a bar,” he remembers. “I walked in, sat on a barstool and found people from all over the country who had hearts like mine: dreamers who were free spirits, living a way that made sense to them. I left that day, went back out on tour, but kept going back, because it was a place I not only fit, but felt like I could disappear. I was a young adult, and I made some of the best friends of my life on those islands – and this is my way of giving back.” Compare Ticket Prices to See Kenny LIVE! With “Get Along,” the banjo-driven hit celebrating what we have in common instead of being offended by our differences hit, residing firmly in the Top 10, the horse of a different color for the album’s tone offers the collective truth that defines Songs for the Saints. As Chesney says, “It’s a song for times Continue reading First Listen: Kenny Chesney – Songs For the Saints

Watch Now: Kenny Chesney – Get Along

Kenny Chesney Tour News | Photo Credit: Allister Ann

Kenny Chesney knew why he wanted “Get Along” as the first single from his deeply personalSongs for the Saints, coming July 27. Beyond the feel-good lope to its groove, the message of inclusion instead of rancor resonated in the wake of too much news overload, screaming talking heads and a world seemingly intent on the differences instead of coming together. He knew, too, there was no better way to show that notion of inclusion in action than through his own No Shoes Nation, a country without borders filled with all kinds of people determined to enjoy the moment. So beyond kicking off his Trip Around The Sun Tour at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, Chesney wanted to capture the fun, friendship, laughter and good times that have been bringing his fans together for years. “The whole point of the song is to look for your common ground instead of worrying about your differences,” Chesney explains. “And when I look out into the crowd, that’s what I see: people who are having a great time, getting along and making the most of every single minute.” Mostly documentary from the parking lots, the stands, the sand bar and the stage, the Shaun Silva directed clip has the same euphoria and spirit that marks the song. Beyond Chesney’s signature high energy performance, there’s a solo turn on an Engel cooler, a low impact group jam from rehearsal, a heroic take on “Get Along” from the Buccaneers pirate ship and an impromptu run through the song on a pontoon boat in the middle of one of the lots. “It takes a lot to try to keep up with the No Shoes Nation,” Chesney admits. “With their rolling Tiki Bars, tons of sand, Blue Chair Bay cocktails and wading pools. They have as much fun waiting to get into the show as they do at the concerts, and I love that! I wanted this video to be a mix of how their world works and the way their passion inspires all of us up onstage. “It made for a couple long days, doing a video the same time we were starting a tour…But I wouldn’t have changed anything for the world!” With Chesney playing to record crowds at most of his stadium shows, “Get Along” is already Top 10 and climbing onBillboard and MediaBase charts. Described by the 8-time Entertainer of the Year as “a song for times like these from an album about the places that save you,” this song sets the tone for an album about hope in the hard places, acceptance of what is and the resilience to rise up and make your way no matter what’s in front of you.

New Music from Kenny Chesney!

Kenny Chesney Tour News | Photo Credit: Allister Ann

Kenny Chesney Returns! Hear the People-Positive “Get Along” 4/6 Leave it to Kenny Chesney to tap into both the moment and the feel good. When the East Tennessee songwriter/superstar was working on what will be his most personal album to date, he found himself in a zone of looking at life, the world and the state of where we are now. From that soul-searching, the man the Los Angeles Times called “The People’s Superstar” found “Get Along.” With a deep pocket, a chorus that sweeps you up, banjo etching and Chesney’s signature acoustic guitar strum, the brisk mid-tempo offers an invitation to come together, find higher ground, exhale and seek a way of living that fosters harmony. In unlikely ways, the melody bubbles up, as the chorus offers a dose of self-acceptance and reality, “Get along on down the road/ We’ve got a long, long way to go/ Scared to live, scared to die/ We ain’t perfect, but we try…” “Some days, it’s like the world is just angry, screaming people,” Chesney reflects, “all harping on what’s wrong, how other people are awful. The more I move around, talking to people, though, the more I know people are seeking the same things, working hard to get by and hoping for the best for their family and friends. It’s simple, but we keep getting driven apart – and made unhappy. When I heard this song, beyond how good the rhythm felt, I was amazed how simply they broke all this stuff down. Get along… find the common ground… know the basic stuff is where the joy, the love, the happiness is.” Written by Shane McAnally, Ross Copperman and Josh Osborne, “Get Along” takes the exuberance of “American Kids,” the positivity of “Save It For A Rainy Day” and “Spread the Love” and the roots-driven musicality of “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” to a new place. Just as importantly, it continues expanding the 8-time Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year’s take on American music. “To me, music is what you make it, and I want music that sounds good, but also gives you permission to really live,” Chesney explains. “I think we can get so caught up in expectations, our own and other people’s, and we forget what matters.” Beyond the obvious notion to “always give love the upper hand,” the chorus breaks it down to some very specific real-life items: “paint a wall, learn to dance, call your mom, buy a boat, drink a beer, sing a song, make a friend,” before asking, “can’t we all just… get along.” Equally intriguing, the song can be as much an encouragement to move on instead of clinging to grudges, as it is an invitation to find common ground with others. At a time when divisiveness is commonplace, Chesney is about elevating the No Shoes Nation – a place truly without borders – to finding the best in each other, loving life and making memories to treasure. Continue reading New Music from Kenny Chesney!

Chesney, Shelton, Urban, And Lady A Join Performance Lineup For ‘ACM Awards’

ACM Award News on Country Music News Blog

KENNY CHESNEY, BLAKE SHELTON, KEITH URBAN, and LADY ANTEBELLUM have been added to the lineup of performers slated to appear at the “53RD ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS.” They join previously announced performers JASON ALDEAN, KELSEA BALLERINI, DIERKS BENTLEY, LUKE BRYAN, FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE, MIRANDA LAMBERT, MAREN MORRIS, and THOMAS RHETT (NET NEWS 3/7). Set for SUNDAY, APRIL 15th at the MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA in LAS VEGAS, the show will be broadcast live on CBS-TV. REBA MCENTIRE will serve as host, and additional acts will be announced in the coming weeks.

Kenny Chesney Adds Intimate Amphitheater Dates to 2018 Trip Around the Sun

Kenny Chesney Tour News | Photo Credit: Allister Ann

Everyone knows: nobody does stadium shows like Kenny Chesney! With an armful of No. 1s, a high-energy band and the energy to throw his songs to the seats at the top of the other end zone, The Wall Street Journal crowned him “The King of the Road.” But for the songwriter/superstar from East Tennessee, there is an intimacy – and an exhale — that comes with amphitheater shows that offer an equally important experience the No Shoes Nation demands. is right in our “Nothing’s like the energy of a stadium show,” Chesney admits. “But there’s also something about the amphitheaters, where the people are all so close. It’s like being with your friends somewhere back home, singing songs and hanging out, and having the best party of the year. For us, it feels like the people are so right there, and the songs are driving the night. It’s an experience we know No Shoes Nation loves and misses when we don’t do it, so this year, we’re going to make sure there are plenty of opportunities to see us under the pavilion or out on the lawn.” While the tour kicks off April 21 at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, look for the more intimate amphitheater plays to begin May 10 at Virginia Beach’s Farm Bureau Live, May 11 at Charlotte, NC’s PNC Music Pavilion and May 12 at Raleigh, NC’s Coastal Credit Union Music Park. The 2018 Trip Around the Sun Tour will thread between massive stadium shows and the more streamlined concerts throughout the summer – and see Chesney create two very different kinds of concert experiences. “Part of the fun of mixing the venues is riding the energy, letting the music breathe in different ways and really giving the audience dynamics that are so intense without being the same show across America,” Chesney explains. “The amphitheaters all have their own vibes, their own attitude – and those experiences shift very specifically. Darling’s Waterfront in Bangor, Maine is one thing; Mountain View, California’s Shoreline Amphitheater is something else altogether, just like the folks in Toronto at the Molson or Austin’s Austin360 Amphitheaters.” With Chesney returning to a full touring calendar after creating more seats at Boston’s Gillette Stadium – to break the attendance record with 121,624 people over two nights – Chesney’s passion to play is at a new high. Energized by the response to Cosmic Hallelujah, The Big Revival, and the hits “American Kids,” “Noise,” “Save It for a Rainy Day” and “All the Pretty Girls,” the 8-time Entertainer of the Year is fired up and focused. “I feel like this summer, we’re going to take those songs on Live in No Shoes Nation, and lift them even higher,” Chesney says. “Listening to it over and over, hearing everyone’s voices raised… It’s what makes coming out to see us special! When you get to hear all that heart, all that fun, and life, and love coming towards the stage, it really takes our breath away. So, get ready Continue reading Kenny Chesney Adds Intimate Amphitheater Dates to 2018 Trip Around the Sun

Kenny Chesney Changes Record Labels!

Kenny Chesney Blue Chair Records

KENNY CHESNEY SIGNS WITH WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE Blue Chair Records/Warner Bros. Records is Superstar’s New Label Home   Warner Music Group and Warner Music Nashville are honored to welcome eight-time ACM winner and CMA Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney to the Warner Music family. As part of WMN, the songwriter/superstar’s music will be released on the Blue Chair Records/Warner Bros. Records label. Since leaving East Tennessee with a handful of songs and a dream bigger than he understood, Kenny Chesney has developed into the man The Wall Street Journal deemed “The King of the Road” and the Los Angeles Times proclaimed “The People’s Superstar.” With over 30 million albums sold, 30 No. 1s, and countless sold-out stadium tours that sell in excess of a million tickets every time he takes to the road, the 2018 Country Album of the Year GRAMMY nominee is on the verge of yet another creative renaissance. “It is a big deal to change labels,” said Chesney. “But when you hear Max, Espo, and Cris Lacy talk about music, about what it means and does, when you hear that passion, you can’t help but get fired up. To me, music is only complete when it gets to the fans and becomes part of their lives. The people at Warner understand my commitment to that idea, and they’re just as committed to those ideals as I am.” “Kenny Chesney embodies the relentless pursuit of artistic freedom and expression,” said WMN Chairman & CEO John Esposito. “An unapologetic free spirit, he has built a career on perseverance, drive, innovation, and most especially, great songs. Everything he does is inspired. It is with deep respect and honor that we welcome Kenny to Warner Music Nashville. We couldn’t be more excited to work with him and his team.” “Kenny’s not only a country music icon, but an American superstar, who’s still hungry to write, record, and perform amazing music that moves millions of people,” said Warner Music Group CEO, Recorded Music Max Lousada. “The fact that he has chosen Warner Music as his new label home is a huge testament to the culture created by Espo and his team, who have made our Nashville operation a magnet for both emerging talent and established artists. I join Espo in welcoming Kenny into the Warner family, and we’re all looking forward to amplifying his success and taking his music to fans across the globe.” About Kenny Chesney: Kenny Chesney is an American musical force. With 30 No. 1 hits, including “American Kids,” “When The Sun Goes Down,” “I Go Back,” “Noise,” and “Pirate Flag,” over 30 million albums and 38 million tracks sold, he has created the soundtrack for coming of age in the heartland in the 21st century. His commitment to his fans – known as the No Shoes Nation – has seen Chesney succeed as the only Country artist on Billboard’s Top 10 Touring Acts for the past 25 Years, as well as consistently playing NFL stadiums across the U.S. That commitment to giving his fans songs that hold Continue reading Kenny Chesney Changes Record Labels!

Kenny Chesney’s COSMIC HALLELUJAH Scores Country Album Grammy Nomination

Kenny Chesney News on Country Music News Blog

Kenny Chesney’s Unorthodox Grammy Nomination Cosmic Hallelujah Scores Best Country Album Nod at 2018 Grammy Awards Nashville, Tenn. — When Kenny Chesney switched the lead single to “Noise” nine days before the launch of Cosmic Hallelujah, people thought he was crazy. But the song – written, recorded and mastered in three days – spoke to the toxic information overload in a way that felt urgent, and the 8-time Entertainer of the Year decided to let the music speak to the 24/7 rush of constant connection. From that moment, everything about the songwriter/superstar from East Tennessee’s 16th album defied conventional wisdom. Today, Cosmic Hallelujah received Chesney’s first solo Grammy nomination for Best Country Album for at the 2018 Grammy Awards. Upon hearing the news, he marveled, “People thought I was crazy doing what felt right for the music. But sometimes songs need to be released, or given a video even if they’re not a single, or have the people who’re living the song make the video… It’s easy to lose track of the music in the marketing and the promotion, but for Cosmic Hallelujah, I wanted music to drive the decisions. Right now, I feel that was the right thing to do.” From “Noise” being written, recorded and swapped at the last minute, to the euphoric multiple-week No. 1 “Setting the World On Fire” with P!nk, a provocative, big budget “Paper Chase” video featuring John C. McGinley for “Rich and Miserable,” which never was a single, to a three-week No. 1 final single “All the Pretty Girls,” with a  video made by a pair of Belmont University students, nothing about Cosmic Hallelujah followed traditional orthodoxy. As Chesney says of the decisions, “It was a lot of heart, soul, and passion driven by music.” The critics agreed. The New York Times recognized the stretch, writing, “a long, long way from Mr. Chesney’s typical arena-country ballads about rural pleasures and island getaways,” and NPR cited the album’s depths of “folk’s storytelling, soul’s honesty and gospel’s spirit,” while Los Angeles Times opined, “the new album offers deeper, more nuanced thoughts on the distractions of the Instagram era (“Noise”), the comforts of home (“Jesus and Elvis”) and even the stagnation of the American dream (“Rich and Miserable”).” Co-produced with Buddy Cannon (Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard), Cosmic Hallelujah marked a progression from The Big Revival, both groundbreaking records for Chesney. Reflecting the kindred spirits of the No Shoes Nation, who are voracious to live life, Chesney’s fourth Grammy nomination stands as recognition for finding the intersection between connecting through traditional mainstream media/radio and creating music that digs a little deeper. Entertainment Weekly agreed, “His attempts at digging deeper make the lighter material feel earned, and they elevate his work above much of country’s escapist fare,” while Newsday called it, “country perfection,” and The Boston Globe deemed it “a love song to another person and to the idea of getting away…working from a larger sonic palette, one that incorporates ideas from stadium-rockers with whom he shares dressing Continue reading Kenny Chesney’s COSMIC HALLELUJAH Scores Country Album Grammy Nomination