Chesney Ready to Take a Year Off

posted June 12th, 2009 at 3:46 pm

by Josh

In a very candid conversation with Whitney Pastorek of Entertainment Weekly, Kenny Chesney talks about the desire to slow things down soon and maybe even take a year off:

By way of a final question, I asked him, simply, “How long can you do this?” and he broke into a monologue more honest and open than anything he’d told me all weekend. “I can honestly say that my perspective of this is gonna change,” he began, after a pause. “Things that I’ve done to put myself in a position to do certain things — I’ve had my foot on the gas pedal so hard for so long, and I’ve never looked at it as a sacrifice. Never. Not once. But…I can say that I don’t see myself with the foot on the gas pedal as hard as it’s been down for 16 years. I think there is a part of life that I’m missing.”

——

“The whole world doesn’t revolve around this stuff,” Chesney continued, as I sat on the floor of his bus and listened, and the afterparty got started outside. “It does for us now. And I’ve given and given and given and given and when I couldn’t give any more, I gave. And then everybody said, ‘We know you’re tired, but we want you to give just one more time.’ And that ain’t gonna happen no more. If you’d told me when I was sitting on that barstool [playing for tips after college] that I’d win as many Entertainers of the Year as Garth Brooks did, I’d have told you you were crazy. And I have. Do I want to win another one? Yeah, sure. But you know what? The things that you have to do to be in that spot? I’m not gonna do anymore. I’m not. Because it has… in ways… I don’t know, it’s weird. It’s like — it almost makes it seem mechanical. And I think I can be better than that. I really do. I don’t think I’ve written my best song yet. I want to be a great songwriter. And if that means, you know, taking a year off and living on my boat and writing those songs, I want to do it. Despite the consequences.”

“You almost seem like you’re looking forward to it,” I suggested, and Chesney nodded. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I still think that I’ve got a lot to give. But I want to give on my own terms. Because me and these guys have been busting our ass forever. And I’m not gonna stop doing that. We live by the code of we work really hard, and we play harder. There’s no doubt about it. But I really don’t think I’ve written my best song.

Continue reading this interview here.

Tagged in Interviews, Personal, Tour

sosilly

He told Hannah Storm the same thing after he released ‘poets and pirates.
He did not slow down at all.
I just wonder will he ever listen to himself and do it. Yes, a yr off without the big stadiums and the 50+ shows would make a difference. He could come back and do smaller acoustic shows and cover all the BAYA and Poets and Lucky old Sun…….basically strip it down, similiar to MTV unplugged or VH1 Storytellers both great shows with great artists.
Josh

Ya if he would just scope it down a bit. He goes so hard and plays so many shows.
Jen

Gonna have to save up for CMA Fest and take a cruise to those islands when that happens, then he can write one about me lol! Nah seriously I wanna do things my way and not conform to a job I hate, that’s why I’m taking the college classes so people will take me seriously as a web designer.
ashley

i dont want him taking a year off its not summer with out him
sosilly

A mans got to do what a mans got to do…….
Denise

Yes, I do remember that interview with Hannah Storm, he was saying he wanted to slow down. I think it would be good for him to slow down and live his life on his own terms. I think it will be difficult for him to do this…to slow down..he has been dong this gig for 16 years..does he even know how. Yes, I would be disappointed if he didn’t tour next summer but I would understand that life is too short to rush through it. Time does slip by us with a blink of eye. If Kenny took a year off, I am sure his fans would still be there. Like he said on Oprah, his life runs him..he has no control over it and that is sad. He has worked so hard to get where he is now. I think he has earned control over his life. I don’t know how much he is contractually do for BNA. Who knows when he did tour again with all new songs for all of us enjoy!
vicki weber

I think it is time that kenny chesney took a year off and to slow down sometime in his life. He really can get a fresh start to do what he need’s to
do. I will alway’s love kenny chesney and his music. Kenny will alway’s be the
“KING OF SUMMER” to me and to everyone. Kenny is a good man. And he will alway’s be “ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR” to us all. What i am expecting to happen
next in between is maybe another marriage for kenny to. If that turn’s out to
come up sometime in kenny’s life. I wish kenny the best of luck on it.
katie ayers

i will love kenny as a person and a human bein and yes his music is amazing and i love his music.but at the same time i have looked up to him as a role model and i just love him as a person and he is also down to earth.so yeah i think he will slow down a little,settling down time will tell eventually
Isabelle

Kenny is awesome, but he has to have some down time too. It must be so tiring to tour and do all those stops and shows. I’m sure he is probably not done, just needs a break. Love ya Kenny Keep feeling the music, and the sand in your toes LOL

Chesney Ready to Take a Year Off

posted June 12th, 2009 at 3:46 pm

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