Kenny Chesney announced today that his new album, “Hemingway’s Whiskey,” will be out in September:
When Kenny Chesney made the decision to not mount one of his high impact, NFL stadium-driven summer tours last August, it was in large part so that he could take the time he wanted to really enjoy the process of making a new studio record. While he has released the ocean-driven Lucky Old Sun, which yielded the multiple week #1s “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” and “Down The Road” with Mac McAnally, and his Greatest Hits II, which had the chart- topping “Out Last Night,” as well as “Ain’t Back Yet,” the theme from his nationally-released Sony Motion Pictures “Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3D,” it has been almost three years since Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates, his last true studio release.
“I knew when I came back, I wanted the record to be something special something that took what I do in my special projects and weaved it into what I do for the mainstream,” Chesney says. “It takes a lot of energy and mental space to be on the road, and I kind of felt like especially coming off of this second Greatest Hits, this next record should be something that set the stage for the next phase of my music, the same way No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems opened up the music I’ve made for the past 8 years.”
“I came to town to write songs, to make records, to create something that spoke about how I lived, and the people who I knew who were just like me and my friends lived. I’d like to think we’ve captured that, just like I’d like to think that we’ve all come to realize that life is a little more complicated than maybe we thought. Its still fun. It’s still intense. It’s still about friends and dreams and al kinds of things, but there’s something more, too.”
That something more is probably the best way to describe Hemingway’s Whiskey which will arrive in record stores Sept. 28.
“I think people respond to music that makes them feel something,” says the man who’s written the multiple week #1 “Beer In Mexico,” as well as recorded the free and easy “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven,” “Out Last Night,” “When The Sun Goes Down” and “Never Wanted Nothin’ More.” “It’s not about what kind of music, but how does it make me feel… and when you start looking at songs from that perspective, suddenly there’s a whole lot more in common than is different.”
To expand that idea, Chesney debuts a series called “Hangin’ With…,” featuring discussions and unplugged jamming with core air people, guests and whomever is in the moment. It’s about capturing music people sitting around, trading songs, stories and insights in the off-hours – and offering that illumination to the many music lovers who would never have cause to be in those kinds of rooms.
“There’s magic when music people come together,” Chesney says. “What we talk about, what happens when a guitar’s passed, what one memory or experience sparks in other people… If you love music, you love life; in a room of people who share that, swapping songs and laughs and opening up to a kindred soul, you’re amazed at what comes out.
“That’s what inspired me these ‘Hangin’ With…’ shows: letting listeners experience some of the amazing musical people I know in a way they wouldn’t otherwise. Along the way, Dave Matthews, Steve Miller, all kinds of people are gonna be hanging with us.”
In keeping with NSR’s sense of discovery, which Chesney has very much wanted to be a harbor for, the first show is “Hanging with Mishka,” a West Indies-based reggae artist whose work has been heralded by Britian’s New Musical Express and has had multiple CDs appear on both Billboard’s Reggae and Heatseeker Charts; his most recent. Talk About peaked at #2 on the Reggae chart.
“We played then studio version of his ‘Shadow in the Shade,’ then Mishka did acoustic versions of ‘All Jokes Aside,’ ‘Fallen Rise’ before Tambo, Clayton, Mishka, Matthew McConaughey and I jammed on ‘Stir It Up.’ We talked about life, love, music, songs, memories… it was such a moment.”
Tune in this Wednesday, June 23 at 3:00 EDT. There will be two rebroadcasts on June 25 and 27 at 9:00 EDT and 12:00 EDT respectively.
Back in April when Summer In 3D movie came out in theaters, Kenny partnered with Nature Valley to raise money for the National Parks Conservation Association.
“To me, there’s nothing better than being outside, enjoying the parks, the lakes and the oceans – and that’s what makes protecting our national parks so important,” said Kenny Chesney. “Teaming up with Nature Valley to raise awareness and funds is a great way to make sure the public realizes how special these parks are and that they can have a hand in keeping them available to generations to come.”
It was announced at the time that Kenny would film a public service announcement for the initiative. It’s now been recorded and you can watch it below:
CMT.com has more information on the upcoming Gulf Coast concert with Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band, and others:
Tickets will be available from Ticketmaster beginning Wednesday (June 23) at 10 a.m. CT. There is a four-ticket limit, and tickets are required for entry. Organizers expect to accommodate up to 35,000 people at the event on the beach.
The concert is being organized to demonstrate support for and solidarity with residents, businesses and the culture of the Gulf Coast. Gates will open at 3 p.m., and the concert will start at 5 p.m.
A portion of the show will air live on CMT from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. Performances will be simulcast live on Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio and streamed live on CMT.com.
“There are always welcome breaks in every storm, but the unfortunate reality is that this disaster is not going away for a while,” Buffett said. “But a few hours of fun, void of the constant reminders of the situation, is a good thing, and that is basically what I do.”
“I thank Jimmy Buffett and these other great artists for coming to perform on Alabama’s coast,” said Alabama Gov. Bob Riley. “Their music will lift up spirits and help encourage visitors to come here and enjoy our world famous Southern hospitality.”
“Music has healing powers, and who better than Jimmy and friends to summon them up?” said CMT president Brian Philips. “It is CMT’s privilege to present this special. We send a message to the people of the Gulf Coast that our audience — and the world — stands beside them.”
CMT Presents Jimmy Buffett & Friends Live From the Gulf Coast is produced by the State of Alabama, the City of Gulf Shores, CMT, Live Nation and Land Shark Lager. Local promotional services are provided by Mobile-based Huka Entertainment.
CMT Presents Jimmy Buffett & Friends Live From The Gulf Coast will encore July 2 at 7 p.m., July 3 at 9:30 a.m., July 4 at 2 p.m. and July 5 at 11:30 a.m. Excerpts and artist interviews will be available at CMT.com.
According to Ticketmaster, the concert will be held at the Gulf Shores Public Beach, 101 E. Beach Blvd., Gulf Shores, AL 36542.
A month from now Kenny Chesney will perform at the star-studded Hullabalou Festival at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Other acts performing at the 3-day event (July 23-25) include Dave Matthews, Zac Brown Band, Bon Jovi, Steve Miller Band, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean, and much more (view full artist lineup).
Kenny Chesney is offering discounted tickets to the show. You can save $30 off any ticket for any day of the festival by using promo code NOSHOES. Go to TicketMaster to find your tickets (and make sure you enter the promo code).
This is one of only 6 more remaining shows that you can catch Kenny Chesney at this year. And it’s a great one to see, with all the other acts at the festival.
On Saturday Jimmy Buffett announced a free show in Gulf Shores, Alabama and Kenny Chesney is slated to take part too:
To demonstrate support for the people, businesses and culture of the Gulf Coast, CMT will telecast a free musical celebration live from the beach at Gulf Shores, Ala. CMT Presents Jimmy Buffett & Friends Live from the Gulf Coast will air on CMT on Thursday, July 1, from 8-9:30 p.m. ET/PT. Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band will be joined in the concert by his friends Sonny Landreth, Zac Brown Band, Kenny Chesney, Jesse Winchester and Allen Toussaint. A special souvenir tee shirt will also be designed for the concert and sold onlne and at the show. More info coming soon!
Grace Potter was on Good Morning America this morning and in an interview with George Stephanopoulos revealed that Kenny Chesney has asked her to sing with him on a duet for his upcoming album.
People Magazine is out with their country music special next week and it includes a Country’s Hottest Guys list. Coming in at number one this year is Kenny’s pal Tim McGraw:
“My wife would pick George Strait,” he says. “She thinks he’s gorgeous! Or Kris Kristofferson. When we’re around him, she can barely speak.”
With a new no-alcohol policy and a tough workout routine, McGraw has managed to lose 37 lbs. and, he says, feels better than ever. “I don’t feel whatever 43 is supposed to feel like – I still feel pretty young,” he says. “I’m more confident than I’ve ever been about who I am and what I do and I feel like I’ve got a lot more ahead of me than I do behind me.”
Kenny Chesney makes the list, although we aren’t sure what slot he landed at. Also making the cut are Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Blake Shelton, and several others.
The People Magazine county special hits newsstands June 18th.
If you haven’t yet seen this, check out this great video of Mishka singing “Stir It Up” with Kenny Chesney, Matthew McConaughey, Clayton Mitchell, and Tambo:
A new series is coming to 
CMT.com has more 
A month from now Kenny Chesney will perform at the star-studded 
People Magazine is out with their country music special next week and it 
