Country Standard Time has Kenny discussing his latest single: “Boys of Fall”, which hits country radio on Monday:
“I just stopped right there, and played it over and over again,” Chesney says of the song. “I knew -as maybe only someone who has felt that thrill of rushing out onto the field on a cold Friday night can -that was exactly how it is…and it also gives you a sense of why playing football in high school is such a powerful thing for anyone who does it. It’s life changing; it just is -and for anyone who’s never experienced that, this song helps them understand why.”
The video for the lead track from his Sept. 28 CD release features New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton delivering a heartfelt speech to the team where the 2010 Super Bowl-winning coach spent his own high school football career.
“The thing about all of it -the song, the video, the documentary, it’s not just about people who play football and go onto be Joe Namath or (ESPN’s) Kirk Herbstreit, it’s about the Moms driving their kids to practice, and the way this’ll shape the men their sons will become…the girls who come to the games and cheer -and are part of why the boys want to achieve… It’s about the towns who identify with the fate of their team so heavily, it’s a topic of conversation at the diner or the barber shop… and the players who won’t play past high school, but use the lessons they learn to become successful as their lives evolve.”
“Anyone who thinks high school football is just a game hasn’t really experienced the best part of high school football. For the coaches, it’s the chance to shape lives; for the kids, it’s the rush and the glory; for the people watching, it’s the thrill of seeing their young men achieve. It brings all kinds of communities together in ways people don’t often think about -but anyone who’s heard this song, they nod their head and smile, because they know.”
The name of Kenny Chesney’s new studio album, coming in September, is taken from the Guy Clark song “Hemingway’s Whiskey”:
“I was sitting in my truck and a friend had given me Guy’s album, which had just come out,” says Chesney. “It’s a song that talks about living life to its fullest, being a man about your responsibilities and not compromising. As soon as I heard it, I knew I had to cut it — and call the album that — because it says everything about the way you live your life, and what life can be if you refuse to buy into limits, which, as someone who’s read all his books, is everything Hemingway’s novels revolved around.”
Though Kenny will give the song his own flavor, take a listen to the single as sung by Guy Clark:
“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.
On Friday night, Kenny Chesney played the first of two shows this weekend in Las Vegas. KC played his full show and then kept on playing, much like he did last year at The Joint. No Shoes Radio aired the show live in appreciation of fans outpouring of support during last week’s benefit broadcast.
Thanks to all of you that joined us in the live chat during the show. Apologies if you tried to enter the chat and received an “over capacity” error. We’ll have that fixed next time.
Kenny performs again tonight at The Joint but there are no plans to air the show on NSR. If you attend the show, please email us the set list!
The 6th Annual Billboard Touring Awards were handed out at the end of the week and Kenny Chesney took home the Top Package award for his Sun City Carnival Tour that featured Miranda Lambert, Lady Antebellum, Sugarland, and Montgomery Gentry.
People Magazine reported today that Dave Matthews will join Kenny Chesney at this year’s CMA Awards to sing their duet “I’m Alive”:
Dave Matthews will join country’s biggest names at this year’s CMA Awards, delivering a duet with Kenny Chesney and adding another rock presence to the ceremony’s lineup. Last week, it was announced that Daughtry – along with Vince Gill – would perform on the show, which will air on ABC Wednesday, Nov. 11, 8 p.m. ET.
Matthews, 42, will be making his debut appearance on the awards show, where he will perform “I’m Alive,” a Top 10 country hit from Chesney’s Lucky Old Sun album.
“The 43rd Annual CMA Awards,” hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, airs live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 11 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on ABC.
Chesney is nominated three times this year: Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist, and Musical Event with Mac McAnally for “Down The Road”.
A few days ago we posted“Out Last Night” and a short interview with Kenny Chesney from Friday’s “Good Morning America” performance in New York City for the Summer Concert Series. We now have up his performances of “Summertime” and “When The Sun Goes Down” in our Video Gallery:
We’ve now got the second tour date of 2010: the Craven County Jamboree in Craven, Saskatchewan (15 minutes north of Regina). This is the second music festival announced so far for next year… Chesney will play Bamajam in June.
The bulk of the tickets for next year go on sale this Wednesday at the cost of $139 plus tax. For more information, call 757-0007 or go online to cravencountryjamboree.com.
The 2010 Craven Country Jamboree will be held July 8 -11.
Troy Vollhoffer, president and CEO of Premiere Global Production, admitted that organizers felt Chesney had to be the artist replacing Strait.
“He was the only guy that could stand up to that task and we pursued him very hard,” said Vollhoffer, who is the principal shareholder in the festival. “It wasn’t easy because he doesn’t do a lot of dates in Canada. Through our relationships (with industry people in Nashville) we were able to get him.”
If Vollhoffer had any doubts about Chesney’s abilities, they were dismissed after he attended a Chesney concert at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday.
“The last concert that totally blew me away was Van Halen two years ago. I was going to leave Kenny’s show at 9:30 that night, but he was so captivating — and I’m not just saying that because we have him as an artist next year — that we stayed until the end of the two-hour set,” said Vollhoffer.
“It was magnificent. The man is a total entertainer. He brings it. He brings it big time.”
If you are already signed up for e-mail updates and/or following us on Twitter then you are already entered! We’ll choose the winners on May 19th, the day the album hits stores.
A new series is coming to 
On Friday night, Kenny Chesney played the first of two shows this weekend in Las Vegas. KC played his full show and then kept on playing, much like he did 
The 6th Annual Billboard Touring Awards were handed out at the end of the week and Kenny Chesney took home the Top Package award for his Sun City Carnival Tour that featured Miranda Lambert, Lady Antebellum, Sugarland, and Montgomery Gentry.
We’ve now got the second tour date of 
If you haven’t already, be sure to enter our 
