A few years back while in the midst of promoting my album “Nothin’ Like the Summer,” I had the opportunity to check out Kenny Chesney’s tour bus.
Digital Rodeo, a great supporter of mine, sponsored a beautiful tour bus courtesy of Hemphill Brothers out in Tennessee, and one hot summer day I was fortunate enough to get a tour of the warehouse. That particular afternoon, they were working on a bus for the Dixie Chicks. (My brand-new bus was going to be passed on to Christina Aguilera after my radio tour. I still can’t get over that!)
A few days later as we drove in for a check-up, a bus pulled in right next to mine. My driver, Curly, casually said, “Oh! That’s Kenny Chesney’s bus.” After screaming like a banshee, I ran outside to see if he was actually ON the tour bus. Unfortunately, no. But because my driver was “friends” with Kenny’s, I was able to hop on board and take a look around.
Immediately I was transported into an island paradise. Coconut candles, white carpet designed to imitate the pristine white sandy beaches Kenny always croons about and a long surfboard mat completed this home away from home. Everything was crisp, cool, and clean. It perfectly reflected Kenny’s laid-back “chillax” attitude. In the back of the bus was Kenny’s bedroom, and sitting on his bed was one of his famous ball caps he sports when not wearing a cowboy hat. After I snapped a few pics with it on my head (and seriously considered keeping it there), I returned back to my home on wheels to continue my journey.
I love Kenny Chesney. I love his songs, his voice, his Jimmy Buffet-style way of life. He is the “cool guy” of country music, and has won the most coveted Entertainer of the Year award four times by the CMA. Most of his albums have been certified gold or higher, his singles are most always top 10 or higher, and he is one of the most popular country tour acts, regularly selling out arenas and venues all over the country.
So what’s so unique about Kenny? Nothing, really. I think it’s his whole “I’m just like you” attitude that people are drawn to. He’s part party animal, part spiritual beach bum masquerading as a good ol’ country boy and knows exactly how to play to his audience.
One of my favorite Kenny Chesney songs is called “I Go Back,” a song about the power of songs, actually. One of the lines states, “Every time I hear that song … I go back.” I remember exactly what I was doing when I heard that song, driving my little brother’s Jeep home from Salt Lake, top down, feeling the warm breeze blow through my hair and wondering where in the world my life was headed. Every time I hear “Anything But Mine,” I think about missing my little brother so badly it brings tears to my eyes as he was out serving an LDS mission in Cleveland, Ohio. And every time I hear any other Kenny Chesney song, I kick back, take a deep breath and think, “life is good.” Not many artists do that for me; and that’s what I love about Kenny Chesney.