Chesney, Kenny

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Chesney, Kenny

Career
Sidelights
Selected Discography
Sources

Singer and songwriter

B orn Kenneth Arnold Chesney, March 26, 1968, in Knoxville, TN; married Renee Zellweger (an actress), May 9, 2005 (annulled, December 20, 2005). Education: East Tennessee State University, undergraduate degree, 1991.

Addresses: Contact—Kenny Chesney Fan Club, PO Box 128529, Nashville, TN 37212-8529.

Career

P erformer at Chuckie’s Trading Post and Quarterback’s Barbecue, Johnson City, TN; resident performer at The Turf, Nashville, TN; signed publishing deal with Acuff-Rose, 1992; signed recording contract with Capricorn, 1993; released first album, In My Wildest Dreams, 1993; signed recording contract with RCA subsidiary BNA, c. 1995.

Awards: Top New Vocalist Award, Academy of Country Music, 1997; Top Male Vocalist Award, Country Music Association, 2002; Single of the Year Award, Academy of Country Music, for “The Good Stuff,” 2003;Album of the YearAward, Country Music Association, for When the Sun Goes Down, 2004; Male Video of the Year Award, Country Music TV, for “I Go Back,” 2005; Entertainer of the YearAward, Country Music Association, 2005; Entertainer of the Year Award, Country Music Association, 2006; Billboard Music Award for country artist of the year, 2006; Entertainer of the Year Award, Country Music Association, 2007; People’s Choice Award for favorite male singer, 2007; Male Video of the Year Award, Country Music TV, for “You Save Me,” 2007.

Sidelights

K enny Chesney became a country music super-star in the early 2000s, primarily on the basis of his extraordinarily energetic and popular live shows. The multiple award-winning artist also garnered attention for his many multi-platinum selling records and by reviving interest in the country genre. Known for having a rock edge to his sound, Chesney stated he was firmly a country artist. He told the Florida Times-Union’s Nick Marino: “I sing country music. But you listen to our records, a lot of them are pretty edgy . But when I sing it, it’s country. There’s no doubt about it.”

Born on March 26, 1968, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Chesney was raised in the small community of Lut-trell, which was also the home of country legend Chet Akins. Chesney enjoyed music from an early age. While he was growing up he preferred rock music, but he was also a fan of certain country artists such as Conway Twitty. He told the Virginian-Pilot’s Frank Roberts: “The heart and soul—there was so much heart in everything he [Twitty] did. He was so unbelievable.” Sports were also an important part of Chesney’s life. He was a starting end in football while attending Gibbs High School in Luttrell.

Music did not appear as a career choice for Chesney until college. While studying advertising and marketing at East Tennessee State University, Chesney had a country-music epiphany. He told Tonya Parker Morrison of the South Bend Tribune, “I never really gave country music a passing thought. Then, one day, I was on my way to class at East Tennessee State and I heard Merle sing ‘That’s the Way Love Goes.’ That was it, brother! Slowly but surely, I moved away from sports and business and into the music life.”

While still in school, Chesney began appearing in clubs in Johnson City, where East Tennessee State is located. Though most of the clubs were blues-oriented, he stuck with his infatuation with country music and began attracting much attention from local fans beginning with his initial performances. Chesney found a regular audience for him at Chuckie’s Trading Post and Quarterback’s Barbecue in Johnson City.

After Chesney earned his degree in advertising from East Tennessee State University in 1991, he moved to Nashville to break into the country music scene there. He did not find an immediate audience for his music, but his strong songwriting abilities led to a songwriting contract. Thus, Chesney first broke into country music as a songwriter, not a singer, by signing a publishing deal with Acuff-Rose in 1992.

While Chesney had a developing songwriting career, he still loved to perform. Not in demand as a performer, he was forced to take the stage in seedy, low-end venues. Chesney remained determined to have a career as a singer; his persistence paid off when he became a resident performer at The Turf in Nashville. Capricorn Records started a new country music division and signed Chesney as a performer in 1993.

Chesney released his first album on Capricorn that year, In My Wildest Dreams, though it was not particularly popular. Chesney believed that the label did not promote him enough, but critics praised the album. It sold about 100,000 copies. The label then folded, and Chesney signed a contract with RCA’s BNA subsidiary in the mid1990s.

Chesney released his next albums on BNA. He followed In My Wildest Dreams with All I Need to Know and Me & You. As he changed labels, Chesney was still working on developing his sound, but he found more success. His second album, All I Need to Know, was a smash hit. Chesney’s third album Me & You went gold and spawned a number-one single with “When I Close My Eyes.”

In 1999, Chesney looked back on and reflected to Bill Blankenship of the Topeka Capital-Journal about these early releases. Chesney said, “The first three albums that I did, I really think I was just part of a bunch of guys out there making music. Don’t get me wrong. I’m very proud of those records. But with time and consistency, slowly but surely, I’ve been able to separate myself from that bunch and build a career as opposed to just having some songs out there that do well and that’s it.”

Chesney slowly built up his career in this manner through the 1990s. By the release of his fourth album, I Will Stand, Chesney had a solid reputation for putting on an energetic live show as well. He told Roberts of the Virginian-Pilot, “I like to have a good time when I get on stage. I stay cooped up on that bus, so when I get to do a show, I’m excited as anybody. It’s a fast-paced show, even though I have ballads. I get the audience involved.”

Chesney’s next album, Everywhere We Go, was released in 1999 and went double platinum. Chesney also had at least two number-one singles off the album: “You Had Me From Hello” and “How Forever Feels.” “You Had Me from Hello” was Chesney’s fifth number-one record, but the first one he wrote himself, making it all the more special for the artist.

Chesney also opened for country legend George Strait in 1999 and 2000, increasing Chesney’s already high profile. During the tour, Chesney had a run-in with the law on a stop in Buffalo, New York. Chesney was accused of stealing a horse belonging to the Erie County’s sheriff’s office. Chesney claimed he had permission to ride the animal, and the incident got out of hand. The officer asked for the horse back, and Chesney refused in jest. The misunderstanding blew up, involving Chesney, country music star Tim McGraw, and Mark Russo, an entou-rage member. All three were accused of various crimes, with Chesney being charged with disorderly conduct. He was later acquitted.

After meeting a career goal by releasing a greatest hits record in 2000, Chesney did not release an album for two years. Yet the country music singer was able to continue to build his career, primarily through his now-legendary live performances. Before No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems was released in 2002, Chesney had a few hit singles from the album and was able to tour to promote it by headlining arena concerts. He continued to emulate rock artists in his live shows, telling Marino of the Florida Times-Union, “My goal is to be like Aerosmith and AC/ DC. They still go out there and kick butt every night on stage.”

When No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems did come out, it was also a smash, not only among country music fans, but with music fans in general. Young, non-country music fans increasingly showed up at his concerts. The record debuted as number one on Billboard’s country album charts as well as the pop charts and eventually went triple platinum. Critics raved about Chesney’s maturity as a songwriter and performer, with strong lyrics, clever stories, and more personal and emotional sincerity. A few tracks received particular attention, including “Big Star,” which talks about women with problems they overcome. Such songs showed him to be a serious artist.

Chesney believed the success of No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems was important not only for him since it reflected his growth as an artist, but for his genre as a whole. He told Robert Kreutzer of the Press Enterprise, “The fact that I debuted at No. 1 was a shot in the arm for country music. It raised the bar. For people to think country music is dead is wrong. And, for a short time, for me to outshow everybody that’s out there, that’s a big thrill.”

As Chesney became not just a gigantic country artist but a mainstream music star, he had the highest-grossing country tour in the United States and one of the most popular tours of any genre in 2002. He sold more than 1.8 million tickets for $24 million in sales on his tour that year, and did similar business for his tour in 2003. With such high-profile exposure came more accolades, including being named the sexiest male country singer alive by People magazine.

Despite his continued achievements, Chesney remained humble and was aware his success could be gone just as quickly. He told the Winston-Salem Journal’s Ed Bumgardner, “I’ve worked hard to get here, and, to be honest, I still can’t believe it all isn’t going to disappear tomorrrow—and it might. I looked at my band as we walked out on stage the other night and I told them, ‘Guys, take a long look at this, enjoy it and remember it forever, because it isn’t always going to be like this.’”

Chesney continued to push the envelope with his subsequent releases. After a 2003 Christmas album, All I Want for Christmas Is a Real Good Tan, Chesney’s next major release When the Sun Goes Down, continued to expand the definition of country. While the album included the expected country ballads, it also featured Calypso rhythms, influenced by his love of the Caribbean, and a duet with Uncle Kracker, a rap-rocker. The more up-tempo album also featured more songs written by Chesney. When the Sun Goes Down also sold more than three million copies.

In 2005, Chesney went more introspective with his Be As You Are. Unlike previous records, Chesney wrote or co-wrote nearly all the tracks. More deeply reflecting the peace he felt at his second home in the British Virgin Islands, songs such as “Island Boy” and “Key Lime Pie” describe people and places in his life there. He told John Gerome of the Associated Press, “Alot of the people in those places have really touched me and showed me I don’t have to push so hard all of the time.” The music was also more simple and stripped down, unlike the heavy production of his previous efforts.

While Chesney’s career remained red hot as he evolved, he became a media sensation for more personal reasons. After only knowing actress Renee Zellweger a few months, the couple married on a beach in the British Virgin Islands on May 9, 2005. The marriage was short-lived as Chesney admitted he was not ready for marriage. It was annulled on the grounds of fraud on December 20, 2005, setting off an even more dramatic tabloid frenzy.

Chesney retreated to his music, releasing a live album in 2006, Live: Live Those Songs Again, and a new studio release in 2007, Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates. The new album did not feature any of his own songs but was the expected mix of ballads and up-tempo numbers, all reflecting his emotional state. Chesney also had another number-one single, “Never Wanted Nothing More.” Yet the country music star admitted he was unsure he was ready to record again because of his personal problems, though the studio provided some solace in the storm.

Despite such setbacks, Chesney planned on having a long career, even if it is primarily as a performer. He told Bumgardner of the Winston-Salem Journal, “I’m not out to save the world, but I am out to entertain as much of it as I can. I want to still be doing this when I am 60, just like the Rolling Stones. I just hope to look a little better than Keith Richards. That’s why I work out.”