Kenny Chesney Repeats as CMA’s Entertainer of the Year

The Country Music Association Once again awarded Kenny Chesney as the Entertainer of the year trophy at Wednesday night’s (Nov. 12) awards show in Nashville, Shania Twain (whom looked absolutely beautiful) handed the award to the winner. Along the way, George Strait, Brad Paisley and Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles received two awards each at the 42nd annual CMA Awards.

Other winners included Carrie Underwood (female vocalist), Lady Antebellum (new artist) and Rascal Flatts (vocal group). Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant and Alison Krauss topped the musical competition for their collaboration on “Gone, Gone, Gone.”

Kenny Chesney Lands Rum Deal

A company in Chicago has struck a deal with Kenny Chesney to develop a new brand of rum.

Constellation Spirits already makes Black Velvet Canadian whiskey, Svedka vodka and 1792 Ridgemont Reserve bourbon.

Chesney says, “As an entertainer, my goal is to create an enjoyable experience for people. I’m going to take that same approach in developing a high-quality rum product with Constellation. We’re looking to create a fun-in-the-sun, vacation-in-a-bottle type experience that people everywhere can enjoy when they kick back and relax”.

Chesney’s currently got reason to celebrate as he has no less than seven nominations for the 42nd Country Music Association Awards, which makes him the top nominee.

He also has a new album, “Lucky Old Sun” coming on on October 14th.

Farm Aid Concert To Be Broadcast in Hi-Def & Online

Tomorrow’s Farm Aid concert in Massachusetts will feature Kenny Chesney, Steve Earle, Jamey Johnson, Jerry Lee Lewis, One Flew South, The Pretenders, Arlo Guthrie and Jakob Dylan & the Gold Mountain Rebels.

Farm Aid President and founder, Willie Nelson will also be appearing along with board members John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews.

The Farm Aid concert is taking place at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts from 4pm - 11pm EST, tomorrow (Saturday 20th September).

The show is being broadcast live in Hi-Def on DirectTV and will also be available to watch online at FarmAid.org.

Farm Aid’s executive director, Carolyn Mugar says, “This year we are excited to bring the Farm Aid experience to homes across the country, inviting viewers who can’t make it to the show to join our celebration of music, good food and family farmers”.

Kenny Chesney’s New Album “Lucky Old Sun”

Kenny Chesney releases his brand new album “Lucky Old Sun” on October 14th. The album will initially be released as a deluxe edition with four extra bonus tracks.

The regular version of the album will be released on October 21st. The bonus tracks will include “Boston” and “Got a Little Crazy” both of which were recorded at Kenny’s stadium concert near Boston.

The other bonus tracks are “Soul of a Sailor” and “Guitars and Tiki Bars” which was recorded live at the Hogs Breath Saloon in Key West, Florida.

Fans also get the chance to win a trip to attend the opening of Chesney’s 2009 tour with the deluxe edition.

“Lucky Old Sun is a really personal record”, said Chesney. “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”.

Kenny Chesney Trains With New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints got a break from their regular training camp in Jackson, Mississippi, thanks to Kenny Chesney yesterday.

Chesney joined the saints during practice for a second year. Before suiting up and hitting the field Chesney heard coach Sean Payton telling the players that he would cancel Sunday’s practice if Chesney caught a punt.

On his third try the singer grabbed a 45 yard kick from punter Steve Weatherford…

“I quit growing too young to ever think about getting to have a shot at playing even in college, so this is about the most fun I can have” Chesney said.

“It’s like having a lot of these players come out and sing with us during ‘Back Where I Come From.’ … Sometimes just having the moment to feel what it’s like to do it is the greatest feeling in the world.”

Chesney will perform on Thursday August 14th at the New Orleans Arena.

Kenny Chesney Joins Farm Aid

Kenny Chesney is the first artist confirmed for the September 20th Farm Aid concert. The concert annually features four artists with longstanding ties to the organization’s board: Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Neil Young.

“American family farmers are what this country’s built on,” Kenny observes. “They’ve fed us and kept us strong and healthy for how many generations? 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’s a small thing, but a big deal.”

It marks the second time Kenny’s played Farm Aid. He made his first appearance at the event in 2005, just days after Renee Zellweger filed for an annulment of their marriage, and got some words of comfort from Willie, who ended up employing Kenny as a producer for his Moment Of Forever album. Among the songs Kenny sang at that Farm Aid was “Back Where I Come From,” which he also trotted out this weekend in his stadium gig with Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Sammy Hagar and Gary Allan. According to The Boston Globe, the Gillette version of the song featured guest vocal appearances by Boston Red Sox pitchers Tim Wakefield and Mike Timlin, and by New England Patriots football players Tedy Bruschi, Wes Welker and Mike Vrabel. Kenny also threw out the first pitch on Friday for the Red Sox game at Fenway Park.

Willie, incidentally, had his own notable onstage guest this weekend. Former President Jimmy Carter jumped on stage at Atlanta’s Chastain Park, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, to play harmonica while Willie sang the state song, “Georgia On My Mind.”

Kenny Chesney Gets His Own XM Channel

Want to listen to Kenny Chesney all the time? Soon you will be able to as Kenny’s own XM Satellite radio channel begins this Saturday at noon.

“No Shoes Radio” will be available for two months with tons of Kenny’s music. There will also be some songs from his friends.

“There’s a lot of hits,” Kenny says, “but there are also a lot of album tracks, songs from the early part of my career, stuff from our Keg In The Closet shows and obscurities that you had to be there to hear. Anyone who knows anything about me knows how passionate I am about music, and this is a way to bring people into everything I love about songs and playing music.”

Kenny will be on hand at the channel launch in a four hour XM party from the parking lot at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where he is headlining his “Poets & Pirates” Tour with Keith Urban, Sammy Hagar, LeAnn Rimes and Gary Allan.

No Shoes Radio is a hefty recognition of his artistic abilities. The few acts who have previously had their own XM channels are George Strait, Coldplay, Led Zeppelin and Michael Jackson!

“I think we’ve become part of people’s lives,” Kenny observes. “The way a lot of bands were for us, we’re what they’re listening to when they’re hanging out, when they’re having fun, when they need to gear up for something. That’s what music always did for me, and it’s kind of mind-blowing to think that your songs could be that for someone else. So for all those fans out there, get ready for something pretty cool.”

There’s going to be new music from Kenny too… The first single from his next album is on its way. The single “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven,” is officially released on August 10th.