Kenny Chesney

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Aug 25, 2008

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Thursday, September 04, 2008

Kenny Chesney’s Next Big Star Is… Brother Trouble

Kenny Chesney's Next Big Star Is… Brother Trouble South Carolina Brothers Won Nashville, Then Took The Grand Prize


Nashville: When Kenny Chesney decided to reach back to young bands trying to get a foothold in country music on his 2008 Poets & Pirates Tour, he had no idea the quality of talent he was going to find - and with the final weekend of local competitions, it turned out the Grand Prize winner had relocated from South Carolina to Nashville to follow the plan of countless thousands of hopefuls.

"It's pretty amazing to see the quality of local bands out there," Chesney says of his summer's opening acts. "And the different kinds of country music being made, too. I'd say the future's in pretty good shape… and it was really hard deciding on that one grand prize winner, that's how good these Next Big Stars were."

But Brother Trouble, Jason and Mark Sutton, who've been playing around the Palmetto State since their teens, work a distinctly aggressive modern country that has hints of Southern rock, revved up acoustic instruments and the kind of vocals only brothers enjoy. Having won the July 3 Next Big Star at Nashville's Hard Rock Café, and performing at Nashville's LP Field for Chesney July 5 show, Brother Trouble now gets a check for $25,000, an opportunity to audition for BNA Records and - perhaps the best part of all - their own tour bus and the opening slot for the final weekend of the Corona Extra sponsored Poets & Pirates Tour.

"These guys were young, fresh, exciting," says Kate McMahon, Director of Tour Marketing for AEG-TMG. "It was thrilling not just to see how good the talent was across the country, but to see the reaction all these acts got in their hometowns. It's really hard getting the shot to open for big acts now - because there is so much packaging, but all these artists did an amazing job opening up the biggest party of the summer everywhere we went… But Brother Trouble just had a little something special. I think they're gonna have a great weekend out on the road with us."

With "Everybody Wants To Go Heaven" - from the Oct. 14th release Lucky Old Sun -- sitting at 6 on the country singles chart three weeks after add date, Chesney is gearing up to close down his touring year in fine fashion. With stops in Tulsa and St Louis en route to being the first official event in Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts, you can count on Chesney to make it one heckuva party.

"Every year, I don't think it can get any better, and every year, I am blown away by the fans," says the 4-consecutive and reigning Academy of Country Music and 3-time and current Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year. "And this year, having these local bands bring a little bit of each town onto our stage, it's made it even more like we're part of the places we play… To me, back when, I'd've given anything to open for some of my favorites, let alone go on tour with'em, so I think this is gonna be fun for all of us, seeing the road through their eyes."

2:31 PM - 46 Comments - 40 Kudos - Add Comment

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Everybody Wants To Go To YouTube

Hey Gang,

Kenny's new video for "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" (with The Wailers) was just delivered to his official YouTube channel!  Hop over there and take a watch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjaImNS_DSo

Leave us a comment letting us know what you think.  Or post a video response!  If you haven't already, subscribe to Kenny's channel so you get all the new behind-the-scenes videos FIRST.

One Love,
BNA Records

Currently listening :
The Best of the Wailers
By Bob Marley & The Wailers
Release date: 2004-06-21

2:24 PM - 83 Comments - 118 Kudos - Add Comment

Monday, August 25, 2008

Kenny Chesney’s Two Suns Deluxe Fan Pack Drops 10/14; Music-Only Sun Hits 10/21

Kenny Chesney's Two Suns
Deluxe Fan Pack Drops 10/14; Music-Only Sun Hits 10/21

 
     Nashville: It's not just one Lucky Old Sun when you're country music's biggest superstar. For known islander Kenny Chesney, it's two great big suns rollin' around heaven all day. With so much music being made this year, Chesney knew it wouldn't fit on his upcoming Lucky Old Sun - and yet, with its carefree attitude, he wanted to find a way to not leave it behind.

     "Sometimes I go back and listen to the shows, to just remember," says the singer/songwriter whose "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" is currently 15 in its 2nd week on the Billboard Country Singles chart, "and you get thinking about those nights that are just so perfect. You know, that's a lot of what Lucky Old Sun is about in a whole other way… So I wondered if there was an alternative way to share these memories from Gillette Stadium and our taking over Margaritaville down in
     Those little extras sure add up. Beyond the four tracks, fans will be able to access downloads of  the wildly animated opening from this year's Corona Extra Poets & Pirates Tour as well as the "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" video featuring the Wailers, which was filmed in Jamaica earlier this summer. In addition, two lucky winners and a guest will be flown to the opening of Chesney's 2009 tour, wherever in the world that might be, in a contest called "Kick It Off With Kenny." Full details will be available soon. The music-only edition, which does not include the extra content or contest, will be released October 21.

     "Lucky Old Sun is a really personal record," allows the man who's sold more concert tickets this century than any other act in any genre. "It comes from some pretty deep places, and it looks at my life, how I've evolved and the way the ocean can take you places beyond location. There are a bunch of fun songs on the record, for sure, but nothing quite as immediate as these live tracks, so in some ways, it's the very best of what we do in the studio and what we do in people's hometowns.

     "In reflecting that, it seems only right that a couple fans who helped us close out this year with our new music will be in the front row at the first show of our next year. When you're trying to find new ways to engage the people who love your music, I think the more direct the better… and what could be better for us than having two winners who're that into the music we make front and center when next year kicks off?"

     With Poets & Pirates: Just Who I Am still enjoying space in the Top 10 nearly a year after release, hunger for Chesney's distinctive brand of country remains high. Having his 15th 1 with the multiple week chart-topper "Better As A Memory," Chesney soundtracked the past year with the 6-week 1 "Never Wanted Nothing More," the 5 week 1 "Don't Blink" and the ACM Vocal Event nominated "Shiftwork" with George Strait. Given his track record, both versions of Lucky Old Sun should be lucky, indeed.

 

                   

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Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Kenny Comes To PBS

Kenny Comes To PBS
Intimate "Soundstage" Performance To Air August 7, 10 p.m.


     Chicago, IL --His shows are some of the most intense - and his production some of the most state of the art in the concert industry today. But when Kenny Chesney decided to make a rare concert appearance on PBS' legendary series "Soundstage," Chesney left all the video screens, extended stages and walls of lights at home.

     Instead, fans will be treated to an intimate hour with the man who is the biggest ticket-seller of the 21st century, regularly filling football stadiums and playing to in excess of a million fans each of the past seven summers. For the normally frenetic performer, the opportunity to slow things down and bring people inside the songs was an opportunity to show another side of his music.

     "Obviously when we go out there, we wanna have a good time and make sure the fans have fun." Chesney allows of his high energy concerts. "But a lot of these songs come from places in my life, places in a lot of people's lives... And when you take away all that energy and just make it about the songs themselves, it's pretty amazing the things I've been able to sing about, the things they reflect and the way we're all so much more alike than different."

     Having hit the charts with "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" blazing this week, Chesney is on his way to his 16th 1 country single - from his upcoming Lucky Old Sun, which features a title track duet with Willie Nelson. Chesney will also join the country legend - along with John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews - at the 23rd Farm Aid concert in Mansfield, MA on September 20.

     In the meantime, "Soundstage" airs at 10 p.m. EST on local PBS affiliates across the country. Look for Chesney's show - which includes "Living In Fast Forward," "Old Blue Chair," "How Forever Feels," "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" and "Back Where I Come From" - to air August 7th.

 

                   

Currently listening :
Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates
By Kenny Chesney
Release date: 2007-09-11

2:26 PM - 122 Comments - 159 Kudos - Add Comment

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Kenny Chesney Finalizing Lucky Old Sun for Fall Release

 

Kenny Chesney Finalizing Lucky Old Sun for Fall Release

With SRO Gillette Stadium Over, Kenny Is Part of One-Day Farm Aid Sell-Out

 

Nashville: With a full summer of shows for his Poets & Pirates Tour, it's hard to imagine Kenny Chesney having time for anything else, but that doesn't stop the driven performer from always writing and recording new music – including "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven," which debuted at 22 yesterday on the Country Singles Chart after only 12 hours of play.

 

"I've come to a place in my life where there are songs that want to be written," he says, "and that I really want to sing. We didn't think the record would be ready until next year, but the music we've been making is so inspiring, we've been on a real creative jag – and it looks like we'll have it ready for sometime this fall."

 

The album – titled Lucky Old Sun – returns Chesney to his life on the water. But where Be As You Are "was more a map of the places I drink beer," Sun is a more thoughtful look at the life Chesney has found in the islands, on the Coast of Mexico and on the water.

 

Originating from a notion to cut the title track with Willie Nelson a couple years ago – a duet that prompted the legendary Texan to have Chesney co-produce his Moment of ForeverLucky Old Sun is a largely self-penned record that explores the singer/songwriter's shifting perspectives, as well as signature good times with friends "watching the sun move across the sky."

 

"When I went in the studio with Willie to cut 'Lucky Old Sun,' I didn't even know quite what it was for … but that session really inspired me. Obviously, working with him last fall inspired me, too. So this record just came pouring out of me over the past year or so … and I can't wait to share it."

 

Chesney's friendship with Willie Nelson got some more good news this morning. After being announced as part of Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews' 23rd Farm Aid concert at Mansfield, MA's Comcast Center Sept 20, the tickets went on sale yesterday – and are gone!

 

"We'll have wrapped the tour … and it'll just be me and a few guys, but I think it'll be cool. You know, for any of my fans who bought tickets, it's a different way to see me … and to see some really great artists," he explains. "And it's great to hear that they sold out in one day, because it's for such a great cause."

 

With Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates well past platinum – and logging three multiple week 1s in "Never Wanted Nothing More," "Don't Blink" and "Better As A Memory" – Chesney's ability to strike a musical nerve remains unsurpassed. Though no "official" date has been set, based on the response to the first single, look for Lucky Old Sun to rise sometime this fall – and for an especially intimate performance from the Luttrell, Tennessean Sept. 20 at Farm Aid.

 

 

4:58 PM - 51 Comments - 72 Kudos - Add Comment

Monday, August 04, 2008

Kenny Chesney Films Clip for 1st Lucky Old Sun Single w the Wailers

For Immediate Release                                                                         08.01.08


Everybody Wants To Go To… Jamaica
Kenny Chesney Films Clip for 1st Lucky Old Sun Single w the Wailers


     Jamaica: As "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven," the first single from Kenny Chesney's upcoming Lucky Old Sun, landing at 22 on the Country Singles chart after a mere 12 hours of airplay, the 4-straight Academy of Country Music and 3-time and current Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year is putting finishing touches on the Shaun Silva-directed video for the salvation song with the decidedly tropical feel. Long a demi-regular in the waters of the Caribbean, Chesney chose Jamaica as the site for his upcoming clip.

     "There is a real soul to that island," Chesney allows. "When you're in Jamaica, it is so real… and so alive, you know there's more to life than just what you see. When you're singing about the notion of wanting to go to heaven, it is pretty much a bit of heaven on earth, but it's also a place where you get the sense there's more to life than just what we experience here."

     Certainly that reality is manifested in his guest band for the clip. Given the shoot location, Chesney and Silva reached out to Bob Marley's legendary Wailers Band to see if they'd have any interest in being a part of the video - and to their delight, the Wailers Band signed on for the video.

     "I can't even begin to tell you how great it was to work with them," Chesney enthuses. "They were so generous with us in terms of their time and the stories they'd tell us. We sat up one night on the beach, and they shared the whole history of the band, the struggles they had… I got to interview them for something we may do later.

     "Those guys are a huge part of history, whether people realize it or not. The music they had a hand in creating is so universal. It doesn't matter where you go, you can hear the Wailers drifting out of some club or shop or car or boat… and they are so humble for everything they've been a part of."

     And the Wailers history just expanded, as they became a part of Chesney's fall Lucky Old Sun. Though they don't actually sing on the version of "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" that's currently on country radio, brothers Carlton and Ashton "Family Man" Barrett both sing on the CD version of the song about the timing of one's transformation.

     "To have them in the studio… To hear them sing…," Chesney says. "You listen to that, and you know it's real. For me to be able to make them a part of this record… and to turn my fans onto the source of this sort of music… well, that's just one more thing that makes me really glad we're gonna be able to get this record out this year."

     Currently in the midst of his Corona Extra sponsored Poets & Pirates Tour – which was the 4th highest grossing tour in any genre in spite of its low prices and later start for the 1st half of 2008 according to Pollstar, Chesney is plenty busy. Having launched his No Shoes Radio channel on XM, been part of the initial Farm Aid Concert line-up announcement and finishing Lucky Old Sun, Chesney has work and his music more than cut out for him.

Currently listening :
Legend
By Bob Marley & The Wailers
Release date: 1990-05-31

4:49 PM - 54 Comments - 76 Kudos - Add Comment

Monday, July 28, 2008

Kenny Chesney Plays Farm Aid Joins Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews + Neil Young

Kenny Chesney Plays Farm Aid
Joins Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews + Neil Young for Sept. 20 Concert

 

     Mansfield, MA: With his completely sold out New England Patriot's Gillette Stadium show now behind him, Kenny Chesney is already thinking about his return to Boston. And it will be sooner than later, as he joins Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews as part of the 23rd Farm Aid. Slated for the Comcast Center on Sept. 20, it marks Chesney's second appearance at the concert for America's family farmers.

     "Any time you can do something to help out what Willie, Dave, John or even Neil, who I don't really know, are involved with, you want to because you can bet it's a good cause," Chesney explains. "Seeing artists from different kinds of music coming together for something as basic as this makes you realize how far-reaching what the family farmers are facing is."

     Though Chesney will have just wrapped his 2008 Poets & Pirates Tour in Indianapolis at the Colts' Stadium a week prior, the opportunity to help call attention to the plight of family farmers was strong enough to lure him back to the concert stage.

     "American family farmers are what this country's built on... they've fed us and kept us strong and healthy for how many generations?" says Chesney. "Growing up in a small town outside Knoxville, it was a big part of who we were -- and it's something we shouldn't lose. If I can help be part of that -- whether it's raising money, or awareness, or just letting those family farmers know someone knows and cares -- well, that's why I'm coming to Boston. It' a small thing, but a big deal."

     Having co-produced Nelson's critically-acclaimed Moment of Forever, filmed a CMT "Crossroads" with Mellencamp and been joined onstage by Matthews, Chesney's association with the Farm Aid core is well-demonstrated And to honor the organic nature of the show, rather than bring his full-tilt production, this will be a rare acoustic appearance with only a few musicians, heightening the intimacy of his performance.

     "To me, if you can make an appearance like this something different, something a little bit special, then you're really honoring the fact that is special. I think stripping it back… really putting the songs out front is a way to give the fans a whole different experience, since they've just seen us… and I also think taking it back to the most basic way we can do this says a lot about what this event is trying to focus on," said Chesney.

     As the top ticket seller of the 21st century - surpassing the million ticket mark in each of the past 6 years and on track to do it again this year - Chesney has built his audience on good shows at a fair price. In spite of the fewest number of shows and lowest mean prices, he's also the 4th biggest tour - right behind Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and Van Halen.

     "It's been a big summer for us," Chesney smiles. "This is a little thing that can make a big difference. I'm honored to be able to be a part of it."


                   




4:57 PM - 43 Comments - 58 Kudos - Add Comment

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Kenny’s Chesney Is Priceless! Joins Jon Bon Jovi & Eric Clapton for MasterCard’s Roots of Rock

Kenny's Chesney Is Priceless!
Joins Jon Bon Jovi & Eric Clapton for MasterCard's Roots of Rock

 
     New York: Kenny Chesney, the biggest ticket seller of the 21st century in any genre, may have written a big hit record about the way songs indelibly stamp moments and memories called "I Go Back," but now the 4-straight Academy of Country Music and 3-time and reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year is going to let a few lucky fans do just that - go back to the places where Chesney's musical destiny was forged - by joining the legendary Eric Clapton and rocker Jon Bon Jovi as part of the MasterCard Priceless.com Roots of Rock Sweepstakes.

     "Being a part of this contest with two artist I've listened to coming up gives me a way to put a few fans right up at the beginning of my journey," says the high energy singer/songwriter. "And even the ones who don't win can learn a whole lot about where this music comes from by going to Priceless.com and taking a virtual tour of my early years chasing this dream."

     MasterCard's Roots of Rock Sweepstakes allows cardholders to register to win a trip to Chesney's Nashville, Bon Jovi's New York and Clapton's London to see the significant stops of their early career. In addition, the winner and three guests will be treated to an intimate performance in each artist's hometown.

     Just as importantly, though, fans of the soft-spoken Chesney can learn a lot more about the almost reserved musician at the priceless.com website, where they can also register for their chance to see Chesney in a very intimate setting, as well as tour the milestone locations of his first years in Nashville.

     "Consumers passion for their music is unmatched," says Amy Fuller, Group Executive, Americas Marketing MasterCard Worldwide. "Music is something consumers love to experience. With Roots of Rock, we've created an unparalleled music experience with three of the world's most popular artists, providing consumers with an intimate perspective on these icons that few fans will ever have."

     "It was an honor to be considered with this company," says the man who notched his 14th 1 with the plaintive "Better As A Memory" last week. "At this level, it's hard to bring people into your music on this kind of level. But whether you go to the website, where there's exclusive photos and videos to obviously winning the sweepstakes and experiencing the Nashville I came to, that will put you not just inside the songs, but inside how the dream happened."

     With his Poets & Pirates Tour, sponsored by Corona Extra, hitting the halfway point this weekend at Nashville's LP Field, home of the Tennessee Titans Field on July 5, it has certainly been an exciting ride filled with football stadiums, world class athletes, iconic rockers ranging from Sammy Hagar to Steve Miller and more tail-gaiting than the SEC at the height of their season. What happens next is anybody's guess, but with MasterCard helping the man who co-produced Willie Nelson and duetted with George Strait, putting down roots just got a whole lot easier.

9:32 AM - 46 Comments - 68 Kudos - Add Comment

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Kenny Chesney Rocks Grand Rapids Post-ACM Entertainer of the Year

Kenny Chesney Rocks Grand Rapids Post-ACM Entertainer of the Year
Uncle Kracker, Jennifer Nettles & Lost Trailers Join In Clubstorm

 

     Grand Rapids, MI: Having been off the road with his Poets & Pirates 2008 Tour for almost two weeks, Kenny Chesney kicked it back into overdrive with a full-tilt show on the first of a two night stand in Grand Rapids, Michigan - with surprise guests Uncle Kracker and Jennifer Nettles, as well as a post-concert appearance with the Lost Trailers.

     "For me, there is nothing like getting out there onstage - and the time off really had us all chomping at the bit to get back out," says the man who picked up his 4th consecutive Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, tying Garth Brooks' tally. "You could feel the energy… Kracker showed up to surprise me, and we sang David Allan Coe's 'You Never Even Called Me By Name' and got Jennifer to come out and sing 'When The Sun Goes Down' with us."

     The revelry, which was apparent in the crowds' cheers even before Chesney hit the stage, was in full bloom all night. So much so, that after finishing the sold-out show, he and the crew headed over to Intersection, where BNA label mates The Lost Trailers - who've done side stages on previous Chesney tours - were playing. With the easy camaraderie setting the tone, Chesney not only joined the band for a blazing "Hurts So Good," but he and keyboardist Wyatt Beard treated the SRO club to an intimate take on "Coast of Somewhere Beautiful" from his breakthrough No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems album.

     No word as to whether the guests will return for the second night in Grand Rapids, or head to Cleveland, Ohio where Chesney headlines Browns Stadium for the second consecutive year. "Every day out here, it's something different," allows Chesney. "We try to keep the vibe loose, stay open to the music and rock as hard as the fans'll take us. We try to keep it as spontaneous and open as it can be, which given the amount of production can be a challenge… but we've got a lot of cool friends, and they know if they show up, we might just put'em to work."

     In Cleveland, look for Grammy-winner and fellow CMA Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar - whose pool was the site of Chesney's self-penned three week 1 "Beer In Mexico.," multiplatinum and awarded LeAnn Rimes, California progressive traditionalist Gary Allan and the winner of Northeastern Ohio's Next Big Star competition. With "Better as a Memory" marking the 4th hit single from Chesney's million-selling Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates - along with the 6 week 1 "Never Wanted Nothing More," the 5 week 1 "Don't Blink" and "Shiftwork" with George Strait - Chesney keeps evolving as the soundtrack to people's lives.
 

    "This is turning out to be the summer of my life. The folks we're playing with, the fans, all of it… It's so spontaneous and alive and real. When you get up on that stage, you just feel it! Who could ever want anything more?"

Currently listening :
Live: Live Those Songs Again (CD + DVD)
By Kenny Chesney

3:14 PM - 32 Comments - 50 Kudos - Add Comment

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

A Message From Kenny following the ACM’s.

Friends…

            I want to thank each of you personally for your part in this 4th Entertainer of the Year Award… You are not just the reason we do this, you are a lot of what makes us Entertainer of the Year. Beyond even your votes – which were critical – but the way you inspire me and the guys. We are more because you give so much… and I want to make sure you know how much I appreciate you, and how much a part of this you guys are.

            Just hearing the sounds from the parking lot when everyone's out grilling and hanging with their friends makes me wanna get out there and rock. To be part of that kind of a good time is the reason I started going to shows, and it's absolutely why I live to do this.

            Which is part of the confusion over my response to the change in the awards criteria. There's a lot more to being Entertainer of the Year than what we show you… and that's because I want the music to just be your music, your songs, your life – the way it was for me. I've always been a bit uncomfortable with the amount of information that gets out there about how many trucks, how we do the effects, those sorts of things… because I don't want it to be about semis, I want what we do to be about that moment when you hear the music and we hear you.

            To me, Entertainer of the Year is about the work that goes into it. I don't ever want you  worrying about the work; I want you living the songs… being in the moment of the music… finding your life on the radio, whether it's something easy like "Summertime" or a song that helps you through a rough time like "I Go Back" or "There Goes My Life."

            That was my point. Let the people who do the work, judge the work part of it… let the fans love what we do for that. And that was what I was being asked about… what a lot of people in the business were talking about… and frankly something an awful lot of artists and business people have told me they not only agree with, but something the entire media room applauded pretty resoundingly after I addressed it Sunday night.

            Sure, to make me sound ungrateful is a sexy way to spin this to drive viewers. It's controversy, and that sells. But realistically – and based on the response in our fan forum – you know how important you are to me, how much I believe in the way we've all built this together. You, the fans, are the reason I keep pushing, keep striving, keep wanting to be more and better.

            When I stood on the stage and said "this means the world to me," I meant it… because it means not only am I blessed with the best fans in the world, but you guys were willing to stand up for us and be counted. It's not the same award… given for the same things… but knowing how much you care, how much you believe in this dream, well, that is everything.

            So please know… I love you. I believe in you – and the way you believe in this music, these nights we get to share, the way it call comes together when we're together. There is nothing like the feeling of being out there with you guys… and I live my whole life just for those moments. Thank you for that, because in the end, that is what matters the most to me.

-Kenny

12:29 PM - 243 Comments - 350 Kudos - Add Comment


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