Skip to content

Kenny Chesney – Country Music Entertainer of the Year

  • by

Kenny Chesney has long been one of country music‘s best-selling stadium artists. With BORN, his first album in four years and featuring its hit single ‘Thinkin’ Bout You,’ which tackles toxic romantic relationships – Kenny has never disappointed his audiences with his dynamic performances!

Recently, Chesney has opened up more layers of his personal life through his songs; from 2013’s moving “Life on a Rock” to 2018’s exuberant ‘Songs for the Saints”.

Birth

Chesney has long been one of the foremost country music artists, selling out stadiums all across America and winning numerous awards including CMA and AMA Entertainer of the Year awards.

Since 2011, he has spent his time playing music with close friends, incredible musicians and new collaborators; translating life experiences into lyrics and melodies recorded with longtime producer Buddy Cannon when possible. Now with BORN, he can finally explore its deep depths.

Chesney began learning guitar in high school, using it to escape his family’s monotony. Following graduation from East Tennessee State University and moving to Nashville, Chesney found himself working at local honky-tonks; during which time, he also began writing his own material, leading Capricorn Records to sign him shortly thereafter.

Early life

Kenny Chesney was born March 26th 1968 in Luttrell Tennessee to David and Karen Chandler. As a child he dreamed of becoming an athlete; however, after receiving a guitar as a Christmas present his perspective shifted and he started writing songs and playing music instead.

At East Tennessee State University, he earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising and moved to Nashville to pursue his career as a singer/songwriter. Following brief stints in unremarkable honky tonks and uninspired club gigs, he secured house gigs at local clubs where he practiced several hours daily until eventually becoming proficient enough to perform songs he’d written himself.

In 2004, Chesney released the album ‘No Shoes’ which became an instantaneous success and embarked on his successful ‘Somewhere in the Sun Tour. In 2006, his live album ‘Live Those Songs Again’ became his thirteenth studio effort and debuted at number one on the US albums chart.

Music

Contemporary country superstar Chesney amassed an immense following through hard work, pop-friendly ballads, and his charming “Average Joe” persona. He sought to connect with audiences by singing about common life experiences while also greeting fans before and after concerts wearing his trademark black cowboy hat – an icon in its own right.

Chesney has long been a fixture on the Billboard charts, garnering two dozen number-one singles over his long career. With more than 30 million albums sold worldwide and his own concert tour lasting four decades he is widely considered one of the greatest country musicians ever.

After producing albums and touring tirelessly for ten years, Chesney began to slow down somewhat with his fourteenth album Welcome to the Fishbowl (2012). On Life on a Rock (2013) and The Big Revival (2014) he added shades of introspection into his typically breezy sun-dappled sound; on Cosmic Hallelujah (2016) and Songs for the Saints (2018) his tone returned more reflective; he even collaborated with Jimmy Buffett to record remakes of Hank Williams’ ‘Hey Good Lookin‘ while covering Buffett’s ‘License to Chill’!

Personal life

Kenny Chesney is one of the world’s best-known country music artists. He has sold millions of albums worldwide, garnering 40 Top 10 hits on U.S. charts. Four times ACM Entertainer of the Year winner Kenny also regularly sells out arenas and stadiums during his tours.

Singer Aaron Neville leads an exciting personal life. An avid outdoorsman and animal lover with two rescue pups called Poncho and Ruby as pets, his relationship is highly private; rarely seen out and about with Mary Nolan.

He was only married for four months to actress Renee Zellweger in 2005, yet that didn’t stop him from giving love another try. Since 2012 he’s been living in both Tennessee and Virgin Islands with Nolan; their low-profile relationship appears to be strong.