David Nail recently talked to The Boot about his new single “Turning Home,” which was written by Kenny Chesney:
“I fell in love with the song long before I knew Kenny Chesney had written it,” says David. “In fact, if anything I was a little saddened by the fact that he did write it, because I just assumed that it was borderline impossible for me to have the chance to record it. And we actually suffered through a couple of different Chesney records waiting to see if he was in fact going to record it.”
Once the waiting was over and David cut the tune for his album, ‘I’m About to Come Alive,’ he was one happy man! “One of the coolest moments in my career thus far was performing it at the opening of the ASCAP Awards this past year and having a voice mail on my cell phone the next morning from Kenny himself more or less endorsing it and saying how fantastic it was,” exclaims the Missouri native. “That was really cool because I think whether it’s a songwriter who strictly writes songs for a living or another artist, when you kind of have the endorsement from the person who the lyric and the melody originated, I think that’s the ultimate compliment.”
Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3D grossed more than 1 million dollars in its first four days, placing it seventh in the box office standings according to The Tennessean. Seventh is a formidable position considering the film is only playing in 3D theaters and at limited times.
If you haven’t yet seen “Summer In 3D,” you only have one more week to see it. Find theaters near you that are screening the film.
The Tennessean also recently talked to Kenny about the movie:
It’s supposed to be a feel-good affair, this Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3D movie. It’s largely a concert film, with sing-alongs, smiles, beach balls, electric guitars and the like.
But near the movie’s end, things change.
Chesney is shown on stage in Indianapolis, at the same massive arena where the NCAA Final Four was recently held. The place was full, as most places are when Chesney — country’s top-drawing performer of the new century — plays a show. The singer was wrapping up his 2009 summer tour with the wistful “Better as a Memory,” and he was exhausted.
Chesney stood on stage, overcome with the emotion that he’d felt was muted through much of the tour. Trying to choke back tears, he could not sing, and so the crowd sang for him.
“At that moment, I really didn’t know if I was ever going to do it again,” said Chesney, who has taken a break from touring this summer. “I was so tired. During that time, I’d lay in bed and go, ‘I don’t know.’ I’d given my soul to this. You give enough of your soul and don’t put anything back, sooner or later you’re going to be an empty guy.”
The 3D setting allows viewers a sense of the scale of Chesney’s stadium shows, and the camera shots provide perspective from the stage to the top rows of the massive, NFL football stadiums Chesney was playing.
“I’ve always wished the fans could see what I see, and with this they can,” said Chesney, who emerged somehow refreshed after spending hundreds of hours in the film’s editing process. “And I got to see it all from places I can’t usually see, too. In editing, I could get the enormity of this thing. It was good for me to be able to reflect on all this, and to wrap my arms around it. Somehow, you wind up inspired.”
He is also nothing if not committed to delivering a show that would validate his place as the guy who has earned unprecedented success as a Nashville-based live act. Even Garth Brooks did not tour the United States as voraciously or with such outsized results: Chesney has sold a million tickets, eight years in a row. And the competitor in Chesney deems any night that didn’t feel transcendent to be a failure.
“There were times when I thought, ‘If I have to get up there and sing “Big Star” one more time, I’m gonna die,’ ” he said, unsmiling at the memory. “And you can’t connect like that. And you can’t be up there thinking, ‘I’m not connecting like I want to.’ I mean, that won’t help. That’s why I decided I had to take a year away . . . for the integrity of me and the band and what we do, and for the fans. I thought, ‘It’s going to be new again at some point, and that ain’t gonna be tomorrow.’ ”
Kenny Chesney’s latest single “Ain’t Back Yet” remains at number four this week on the Billboard Top Country Songs chart. It’s the 10th week on the chart for the tune that can be found on Chesney’s reissued Greatest Hits II album.
Lady Antebellum remained at number one with “American Honey,” and the Zac Brown Band stayed locked in at number two with “Highway 20 Ride.”
Click here to watch the new video for “Ain’t Back Yet.”
And you can download the single now from Amazon or iTunes.
On Monday night, Kenny Chesney joined several other country stars in Las Vegas for a tribute to the retiring Brooks & Dunn. The artists took turns singing the duo’s classic songs and telling stories about touring with them, or growing up on their music. When it was Chesney’s turn, he performed “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone.”
Taylor Swift, who was still in diapers when Brooks & Dunn scored their first chart topper in 1991, introduced the duo, setting a pattern for many of the artists to follow: she told a hilarious story about being on tour with them. She was summoned to their dressing room and feared she’d done something wrong, only for Ronnie Dunn to tell her he wanted to show her his imitation of her.
Virtually every artist who followed, whether it was Keith Urban, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert. Sugarland or Brad Paisley, has entertaining road tales to share about touring with Brooks & Dunn. One even involved Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl.”
While plenty of artists, including Carrie Underwood, Lambert and Swift talked about growing with Brooks & Dunn, they meant it figuratively. Only Lady Antebellum’s Hilary Scott could make the same claim literally. Her parents were in McEntire’s band during the four years that McEntire and Brooks & Dunn toured together. “So if you saw a little girl sitting on a road case by the side of the stage, that was me,” she said. She and band mate Charles Kelley sang a beautiful duet of “If You See Him, If You See Her,” originally recorded by the pair with McEntire. They were joined by some special guest.
We want to keep some of the surprises intact for those who plan to watch the special, but among our favorites were Urban’s rollicking “Brand New Man,” George Strait’s playful “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” Darius Rucker’s “Hard Workin’ Man,” in which he channeled Bob Seger as much as B&D, Underwood’s soulful “Neon Moon,” and Tim McGraw’s “That Ain’t Now Way to Go.” He sounded better than we’ve ever heard him.
However, the performance that will have everyone buzzing the morning after the special airs is Jennifer Hudson’s take-us-to-church take on “Believe,” a meditation on faith.
Kenny Chesney was up for four ACM awards on Sunday night but went home empty handed. Carrie Underwood took home the big prize, winning the fan-voted Entertainer of the Year for the second straight year.
Kenny’s ’09 opening acts had a good night. Lady Antebellum won five awards, including song and single record of the year for “Need You Now,” plus Vocal Group of the Year (snapping a 7 year run by Rascal Flatts). Miranda Lambert won Record of the Year and Top Female Vocalist.
Here’s what Chesney was nominated for and who came away the winner:
Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
Zac Brown Band
Top Male Vocalist of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Darius Rucker
George Strait
Keith Urban
Vocal Event of the Year
Hillbilly Bone – Blake Shelton with Trace Adkins
Honky Tonk Stomp – Brooks & Dunn with Billy Gibbons
I Told You So – Carrie Underwood featuring Randy Travis
I’m Alive – Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews
Seeing Stars – Jack Ingram with Patty Griffin
(Chesney’s 4th nomination was as a producer for Vocal Event of the Year)
The 45th annual Academy of Country Music Awards show will be held tonight and Kenny Chesney is up for four awards:
Entertainer of the Year
Male Vocalist of the Year
Vocal Event of the Year (artist) for “I’m Alive” with Dave Matthews
Vocal Event of the Year (producer) for “I’m Alive” with Dave Matthews
Entertainer of the Year is fan-voted again this year, so be sure to head over to VoteACM.com to cast your ballot for Kenny. There will also be text voting during the show, where you can vote a second time. So show Kenny your support that way too!
The ACM Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 18th at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on CBS.
Kenny Chesney’s latest single “Ain’t Back Yet” climbed two spots this week to number 4 on the Billboard Top Country Songs Chart. It’s the ninth week the song has charted.
Sitting at the top of the chart this week is Lady Antebellum with “American Honey.”
David Nail recently talked to The Boot about his new single “Turning Home,” which was written by Kenny Chesney:
Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3D grossed more than 1 million dollars in its first four days, placing it seventh in the box office standings according to 
We’ve been hearing about it for months now, but the day has finally arrived. Kenny Chesney: Summer In 3D hits theaters nationwide today!
Kenny Chesney was up for four ACM awards on Sunday night but went home empty handed. Carrie Underwood took home the big prize, winning the fan-voted Entertainer of the Year for the second straight year.
