He plays for tens of thousands at a time now, but there was a time when Kenny Chesney wasn’t the star performer. In an interview with CMT Radio, Kenny describes his role during a Christmas play when he was a kid:

“I think one time I held the star, you know, and did it behind them. You know, I never did show my face. I was holding the star going through the night. That’s all I did,” CMT Radio reports. “I remember doing that one year. But all my other buddies were Joseph and Mary and all that stuff. I never did really get out on stage that much. Never really did sing in the Christmas play, and I was pretty scared to get up there then.”

In an interview with The Boot, Kenny Chesney lets us in on what he asked for for Christmas:

The superstar explained his mother’s annual quandary to WSIX/Nashville radio host Gerry House this morning. “Every year, my mom asks me what I want,” Kenny said. “She asked if I wanted the new George Bush book, but I already ordered it on my iPad. So I’m getting what I got last year: canned green beans. My mom and grandmother can green beans themselves. I love it, because it’s what I grew up with.”

For Christmas, the ‘Somewhere With You’ singer is headed back to where he grew up in East Tennessee, a place that a certain song takes him back to every time he hears it, if he could only remember the name of the song. “The one that is almost annoying,” he tried to recall. “It’s like on the cusp of being really great or really annoying. It’s a girl that sings it … in East Tennessee the radio station plays it all the time. Every time I hear it, no matter where I am, that’s where I go. Vince Vance and the Valiants’ ‘All I Want For Christmas is You,’ that’s it. They play it all the time when I go home.”

In the November issue of People Magazine, Kenny Chesney reveals ten songs that have changed his life:

1. JOHN MELLENCAMP – SMALL TOWN

This song is a perfect description of how I grew up, the dreams I had back then and the values that shaped my life.

2. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – BORN TO RUN

This song is all about freedom. It reminds me so much of the freedom I felt my first couple years on the road. We had 14 people on a 12-bunk bus, and I didn’t think it could get any better.

3. BOB MARLEY – STIR IT UP

I have spent a ton of great days at sea watching sunsets to this song. No matter where I am in the world, when I hear this song, I am in that place.

4. THE EAGLES – TAKE IT EASY

It’s funny now that I live this song how I understand every struggling, conflicted emotion of it. As a kid I had no idea what it meant; I just knew I loved it! But now it is scary familiar, true to my life.

See the full list of songs here.

Kenny Chesney surprised his long-time manager on Sunday night in Nashville, helping to induct him into the International Entertainment Buyers Association Hall of Fame:

The International Entertainment Buyers Association inducted the inaugural class of the IEBA Hall of Fame last night on Sunday, October 3rd at Nashville’s downtown Hilton. Country music superstars Lee Ann Womack, Martina McBride and Kenny Chesney made surprise appearances at the event.

Lee Ann Womack inducted long-time manager Erv Woolsey, Martina McBride inducted Ron Baird, formerly of Creative Artists Agency, and Kenny Chesney inducted his manager, Dale Morris. Acclaimed trumpeter, Joey Pero, opened the ceremony with a spectacular jazz performance. The night was filled with many touching moments as 500 attendees kicked off IEBA’s 40th anniversary by paying homage to the pioneers who have shaped today’s industry.

On Wednesday night, Kenny Chesney went back where he came from… to Gibbs High School in Corryton, Tennessee. Kenny surprised the football team, visiting with them and then screened “The Boys of Fall” documentary.

His secret visit to the Corryton school on Wednesday was all because he wanted to give the current group of players a sneak peak of something very special.

“You all grew up just like us,” Chesney said. “You drive the same road we drove, you obviously played on the same football field we played on and walked through the same halls, so it’s really a special time for me to come here and play you guys this. A game we all love.”

Watch WVLT’s report below:

Kenny Chesney is the cover story in the latest issue of Billboard magazine and in it he gives fans the most pleasing news in over a year… that he’ll play about “60-ish” shows in 2011.

“I’ve already got a 3-D rendering of what our stage show will look like on my computer right now,” Chesney says, lighting up when he discusses things like working out sightlines. “I can look at it from all angles. I don’t want to piece this thing together. If you go out like we do it, if we start in April or March, you can’t wait until January to piece this together.”

The rest of the article focuses on Kenny’s decision not to tour this year and his upcoming album Hemingway’s Whiskey.

Billboard also has a feature with Kenny describing each song on the album. It’s a great read, check it out here.

Read the full article here. You can also purchase this issue of Billboard here.

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’ve ever looked at album credits in a Kenny Chesney album you’ve probably seen the name Buddy Cannon. He’s produced every Chesney record dating back to I Will Stand in 1997.

On Tuesday, Cannon underwent surgery to remove heart blockage:

Songwriter and producer Buddy Cannon underwent surgery Tuesday to clear a blocked carotid artery, and as of Wednesday was back home recovering.

Cannon says he’s doing fine, and expects to be back at his daily activities next week.

Country music fans will be well aware of Cannon’s broad body of work — he’s been in the producer’s chair for releases from the likes of Kenny Chesney and George Jones, and he’s written or co-written a cache of well-loved country songs, including George Strait’s chart-topping “Give It Away” and tunes on Joe Nichols’ most recent set, Old Things New.

(photo: Michael Clancy)

Forbes has released their list of country music’s top earners and Kenny Chesney comes in at number one with $50 million in earnings, down from $65 million a year ago.

Chesney continued his reign atop the country music industry by out-touring everyone else. His 2009 tour grossed $71 million and brought in an average of $1.6 million every night, nearly doubling the box office receipts of his closest competitor, Keith Urban. Prominent sponsorships with companies like Corona and MasterCard keep tour costs down, making the tours even more profitable.

Here’s the rest of the top 10:

• Toby Keith – $48 million
• Taylor Swift – $45 million
• Rascal Flatts – $45 million
• Tim McGraw – $30 million
• Keith Urban – $28 million
• George Strait – $25 million
• Brad Paisley – $22 million
• Alan Jackson – $15 million
• Carrie Underwood – $13 million