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Chesney's bootleggers suit hits snag No Shoes, No Shirt, Three Million Copies Served Stars & Stripes + Palm Trees! KENNY UNWRAPS A CHRISTMAS ALBUM Kenny Chesney Takes John Mellencamp to the ''Crossroads''How I Spent My Summer Vacation

On the Screen, On the Beach With Kenny Chesney Helicopter crashes during music video Hooters Air Welcomes Kenny Chesney Kenny Chesney Responds To The Death Of Johnny CashGuitars and gridiron: Chesney, Manning have had share of hits

Gone FishingKenny Chesney Charges His Batteries

SMALL TOWN BOYS Kenny Chesney Gets Every Man's Fantasy… ''Cold Pizza''ASCAP Party Kicks Off CMA Week:"The Good Stuff" Wins Top Honor

Margaritas'n'Senoritas Is Country's Top Ticket TourCountry Weekly Article : CHANGED MAN

Chesney Refreshed for New AlbumHe Wants To Be A Cowboy Songwriter, Bay-Bee

THE "SUN" ALSO RISES FOR KENNY CHESNEY CHESNEY HOLIDAY COLLECTION COLLECTS GOLD CERTIFICATE Guitars, Tiki Bars + A Whole Lotta Love "There Goes My Life" Goes To #1 in Nine Weeks

Chesney's relaxed manner attracts fans

Kenny Chesney says there's nothing surprising about him. He's not president of the Christina Aguilera fan club. He doesn't have a belly button ring. "Pretty much what you see is what you get," Chesney says in his twangy Tennessee drawl. What fans see is the Top Male Vocalist of the Year, as he was crowned last month by the Academy of Country Music Awards. Fans have bought 10 million Chesney albums. That's a lot in the country world. (As the Tennessean newspaper recently pointed out, the top two pop albums sold more copies, during the week of May 18, than did the top 75 country albums combined.) Chesney is now one of the handful of country artists big enough to play arenas, along with the likes of George Strait and the Dixie Chicks. On Saturday, Chesney takes openers Keith Urban and Deana Carter to the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Chesney says he's handling success with a level head, but he's glad big-time success waited until he turned 34. "I look at the first four or five years as training camp. We sold some platinum records, but people still didn't know who we were," he says. "I've been doing this 12 years. If everything's that's happening to me now had happened to me earlier, I wouldn't have been able to handle it." Actually, Chesney has become so accustomed to working on stage, he feels more comfortable in an arena than he does performing for a handful of people in a room. "No doubt about it. The other night we were going on stage in Columbus, Ohio. There were 18,000 people who came to see us there at the shed. I said, `Look at all those people.' And (a band member) said, `Yeah, the craziest thing about it is, we're expecting it.' " Chesney laughs at that. But he says he and his band don't take fans for granted. "We've played every fair, every honky tonk, every bar, every radio- promoted show, everything you could possibly play," he says. "Somebody asked me, `Have you ever played ...' And he didn't even finish his sentence. I said, `Yep. Twice.' " All that performing takes a toll. "At the end of the year, every night I lay down to go to sleep, and I've got this ringing in my ears, from my ear monitors and from just the sounds of the tour all year long. It takes a couple months for my ears to quit ringin'." But Chesney isn't worried about that. He's more focused on finding good songs to sing, he says. "You gotta make somebody laugh, cry, remember their first kiss, give 'em some strength to say `I love you,' give 'em some strength to leave, or whatever. You gotta make 'em feel somethin,' and then at the same time you gotta make 'em feel nothin'." What does he mean when he says he has to make people feel both "somethin' " and "nothin'?" " `The Good Stuff,' that was (a song} that made people feel somethin'. `She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy' didn't make 'em feel a thing. ... It made 'em want to roll their window down and turn their radio up," Chesney says. "Not every song has gotta change the world. You gotta make 'em wanna come to a show, and stand up, and raise hell, and have a good time." He says he really wants his Vegas show to be a lot of fun. "We had a good night last year, but (Jimmy) Buffett was playing across the street," which hurt attendance, Chesney says and chuckles. "It's kind of tough. Vegas is like that. You never know who's going to be there." Chesney is already working on a new album. But once this tour is over in August, Chesney and his band are taking seven months off, he says. "I bought a big boat. It's sittin' down in the Caribbean. I'm gonna go down there and sit on it for a couple of months until I get sick of it," he says. "I'm gonna take a deep breath, you know, and wait for the ringing to get out of my ears." [http://www.reviewjournal.com/]

Chesney's bootleggers suit hits snag June 17, 2003 Country star Kenny Chesney's bid to win a nationwide ban on souvenir bootleggers hit a snag Monday when a federal judge learned the alleged offenders were not given notice of a hearing on the issue. "You're going to have to get service on this people or dismiss your lawsuit," U.S. District Court Judge Leon Jordan told Chesney's attorney. The problem, attorney John G. Jackson told Jordan, stemmed from a "disconnect" between Chesney's concert team and the University of Tennessee Police Department. Although the Knoxville Police Department reported finding no bootleg vendors at Chesney's June 7 concert at Neyland Stadium, UT police encountered two dozen vendors outside the event, UT Detective Gary Spangler said. Two days before the concert, Jordan had issued at Jackson's request a temporary order barring vendors from selling Chesney memorabilia that was licensed through the entertainer's own merchandising company. But Jordan warned Jackson that any vendor whose merchandise was seized must be given a copy of the federal court order, along with notice of Monday's hearing. That hearing was set to determine whether the temporary ban - aimed only at the Knoxville show - could be extended to permanently bar bootleggers from hawking their wares at any of Chesney's remaining concerts. According to Jackson, Chesney's concert personnel had the necessary paperwork in hand at the Knoxville event but did not tell UT police they needed to serve those papers on suspected bootleggers. "The instructions just were not given," Jackson said. Spangler said UT seized at least two boxes of unlicensed Chesney T- shirts and other souvenirs, including what appeared to be framed sketches of the artist wearing a cowboy hat. The officers encountered about 24 bootleggers but only documented names and addresses for 12 of them, Spangler said. A few fled from police, including one man who shimmied up a pole to escape, Spangler said. The vendors shied away from the concert when it started, possibly explaining why KPD reported not seeing any bootleggers, but were waiting in parking lots for "large crowds as they came out after the show," Spangler said. Jordan delayed a ruling on Chesney's request for a permanent injunction until July 7 to give Jackson time to try to hunt down the suspected bootleggers from whom merchandise was seized. [http://www.knoxnews.com]

No Shoes, No Shirt, Three Million Copies Served Kenny Chesney's Latest Certified Triple Platinum; BNA Debut Strikes Gold Nashville: With the #1 ticket-selling tour in any genre of music for the first quarter of 2003, it's no wonder Kenny Chesney's critically-acclaimed No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems has passed the three million mark -- having been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. As the title track of the #1 Billboard all-genre Top 200 Albums debut heads to the top of the country singles chart, Chesney's easy living anthem is the crowning glory for a summer of sun burn, first loves and big fun. "There are some things you just can't quite get your head around -- and this (selling 3,000,000) is one of those things," says the retiring Luttrell, Tennessean, who just played to over 62,000 at the University of Tennessee's high temple of college football Neyland Stadium. "We all know I can't count that high, but I sure am glad there are that many folks out there who want to kick it back with us and chill." Chill is hardly the word! No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems features the 7 week #1 Billboard and Academy of Country Music Single of the Year "The Good Stuff," the looking back while living in the now "Young," the female empowering "Big Star" and the reflective "A Lot of Things Different." It also features a tugging rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "One Step Up," which prompted a letter from the Boss himself. "No Shoes is more me, definitely," says the reigning Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist. "And it's nice when you really start putting a lot of yourself in the music, in songs like 'Never Gonna Feel Like That' among others, that people respond to. That's you they're voting on... and it's nice that they get it, or to an extent who I am and where I come from. "Chesney's All I Need To Know, his first for BNA, turns gold - making all of his RLG distributed releases are now certifiably heavy metal! Recorded in 1994 and released in 1995, it contains his first Top 5 "Fall In Love," still a cornerstone of the man People called "The Sexiest Country Singer Alive"'s live show. "Anybody thinks I'm heavy metal, better buy Ozzy Osbourn a fiddle and get Rob Zombie a mandolin," laughs the clearly pleased singer/songwriter. "Because while I'm not heavy metal music, it's nice to see the fans still finding some of the older songs -- enough to see the milestones passing by like the mile markers outside the bus window. I love a bunch of the songs on that album as much now as I did when I recorded them, so it's good they're not lost or forgotten." That sense of comfort and belonging has been a cornerstone of Chesney's music from the very beginning. Last year The New York Times wrote, "He sang about devotion, about dreams of stardom, about happily settling down while reminiscing over youthful songs and escapades. Mr. Chesney's country is suburbia, a place of prized stability and modest pleasures. His cozy songs assure listeners that they're not missing a thing," while Rolling Stone concurred, "In his rich George Strait baritone, Chesney delivers real feeling" and The Washington Post proclaimed, "The best coming of age album to come out of Nashville's Music Row in years." With similar raves in Entertainment Weekly, Blender, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Music Connection, Country Music, The Hollywood Reporter, Caribbean Travel and Leisure and The Boston Globe, these publications have all cited the guitar-playing Chesney's ability to distill life for his fans. With his Margaritas 'n' Senoritas tour tearing up the road and leaving happy fans in its wake, it won't be long 'til No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems makes its way to 4 million copies sold -- and you just know there's gonna be an umbrella drink to celebrate! 6/30/2003 [www.kennychesney.com]

Stars & Stripes + Palm Trees! New York City: Kick back. Fire up. Reigning Academy of Country Top Male Vocalist Kenny Chesney gets set to perform his tropically-tinged title track from his triple platinum No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems on NBC's live fireworks-and-entertainmnt extravaganza "Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular." "New York City's the biggest sizzle town in this country, so what a great place to set off the fireworks," says the young man named one of People's Sexiest Men Alive. "It doesn't rock any harder -- which is what being an American is all about." Chesney joins musical guests Sheryl Crow, Johnh Mellencamp and Destiny's Child mainstay Beyonce Knowles. In addition, "Sex In the City"'s Sarah Jessica Parker, "Legally Blonde" Nashvillian Reese Witherspoon, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger and "American Idol"er Kelly Clarkson will also participate in the live 9-11 EDST/8-10 CDST broadcast. "I'm a big fan of all these people, though the No Shoes thing may be a bit of a problem for Sarah Jessica Parker… We won't tell -- what's his name? Manolo Blahnik? But it IS my mission to get a pair of flip-flops on her!" Chesney recently shared a stage with Crow at the Dale Earnhardt Tribute concert in Daytona Beach -- and has encored with Mellencamp's "Jack & Diane" all summer long. No word if there will be any collaborations, but given the 11-million-seller's freewheeling nature and love of other musicians, anything could happen. "The Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular" is being hosted by "Last Call"'s Carson Daly and supermodel/"Vegas" series star Molly Sims. It will also feature an address - via satellite hook-up - from President George W. Bush. "Lights of Freedom" -- orchestrated by award-winning pyrotechnic designer Gary Souza of Souza Productions -- will be the largest 4th of July fireworks display in the entire nation. "Well, I know it will bigger than what my Uncle'll be shootin' off back home in Luttrell… and I know I love my fireworks, so you can bet I'm really looking forward to this!" Chesney, whose Margaritas'n'Senoritas tour was the #1 ticket-selling tour in any musical genre for the first quarter for 2003, returns to the road with a show July 5 at the annual Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" currently climbing the country singles charts, Kenny Chesney's making it BANG! in a big way -- so obviously these serious fireworks make the most sense for where he's headed from here. 6/30/2003 [http://www.kennychesney.com/]

KENNY UNWRAPS A CHRISTMAS ALBUM Christmas is coming early for Kenny Chesney fans - on October 7th to be exact - and as it turns out, it's not just full of holiday goodies for his fans. In fact, the title of the album offers a hint at what Kenny hopes to receive this year: "All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan." Of course, the fact that he spends a lot (if not most) of his free time in the islands has probably given Kenny a great head start on the effort. As for the record, Kenny got in the holiday spirit with a number of guests like Willie Nelson, Alabama's Randy Owen and the Grigsby Twins, Sharon 'n' Karen. More on the twins in a moment. Willie and Kenny team up on Willie's classic, "Pretty Paper," while Randy appears on Kenny's workup of Alabama's own "Christmas In Dixie." The most personal track on the project features the Grigsby Twins on the sentimental favorite, "Silent Night." So who are they? Kenny explains, "The Grigsby Twins, Sharon 'n' Karen are my mom and Aunt Sharon. And that's what they were known as back when they were kids, singing around East Tennessee." Kenny goes on to say that his granddad would take Karen and Sharon around to any local shows, churches and television shows to perform. He adds, "My Grandfather'd haul'em all over to sing for folks and now it's my turn to drag them all over and make 'em sing!" "All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan" is the first-ever Christmas album from Kenny, who admits that he can't believe he's taken so long to make a holiday record. He notes, "I'm one of those guys who just loves Christmas. It's absolutely my very favorite time of the year - being with your family, all the decorations and tinsel and mistletoe! It's absolutely the only time of year that's like it." Considering Kenny's love of the island life, it probably won't surprise you to hear that the project includes a calypso-undertowed title track, along with a reclamation of the Oak Ridge Boys' "Thank God For Kids," a revamped rendition of Skip Ewing's "Just A Kid" and an all-new take on the holiday standard, "Silver Bells." Kenny Chesney Online Fan Club Members will get an advance chance to listen to tracks from the New Christmas Album beginning August 1. 7/14/2003 [http://www.kennychesney.com/]

Kenny Chesney Takes John Mellencamp to the ''Crossroads'' Populist Entertainers Team Up For CMT Series Taping Aug 6, Airing Oct 3 Nashville: If there's anyone who knows more about small towns than Kenny Chesney, it's Grammy-winning roots rocker John Mellencamp, who joins the triple platinum reining Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist for a very special taping of CMT's acclaimed "Crossroads." The series -- which celebrates the common roots and heightens the musical cross-pollination that is endemic in true American music forms - marks the first time the pair will perform together, and given both of their affinity for regular people and real life, this will be a show worth watching. "We've been doing 'Jack and Diane' as part of our encore for a couple years," says the man whose Margaritas'N'Senoritas Tour was the top ticket seller in any genre for the first quarter of 2003, according to touring authority Pollstar. "John Mellencamp's music is as close to universal as there is… and when we're out on the road, it almost feels like home when you're listening to his songs." For Farm Aid founding member and anchor, known for hits "Hurts So Good," "Lonely Old Night," "Paper In Fire," "Little Pink Houses," "Small Town," "The Authority Song" and "Cherry Bomb" among many others, his concern for rural issues has permeated albums like Scarecrow, Lonesome Jubilee and Big Daddy. His latest project is Trouble No More, and it offers a true return to the rawest elements that comprise straight-up, no frills rock & roll. Having enjoyed the ACM Single of the Year Award for his 7 week #1 "The Good Stuff" and an ACM Song of the Year nomination for the Dean Dillon/Bill Anderson half-spoken/half-sung rumination on jettisoning regret "A Lot Of Things Different," the man who's given the world "Young," "How Forever Feels," "Don't Happen Twice," "Fall In Love" and "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy" shares Mellencamp's affinity for big hooks and bigger hits. No word yet on what the common ground will be, but in that always unpredictable, always combustible collaborative reality that is "Crossroads," you can count on it to be a once in a lifetime special. "The coolest thing about these shows is getting to team up with an artist you've looked up to, someone who's music is a big part of your life," says the man whose "Back Where I Come From: One Night At Kneyland" drew over 62,000 people in his hometown of Knoxville. "You think about the Dixie Chicks and James Taylor or Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson, and you realize there's a lot of common ground between our genre and the rest of modern music -- and you also figure out what makes musicians come together is their respect for each other and their love of songs. If you ask me, this is gonna be cool." As The New York Times wrote of Chesney's loose-limbed performance style, they defined what will no doubt be a common reality for both men: "(Chesney) sang about devotion, about dreams of stardom, about happily settling down while reminiscing over youthful songs and escapades. Mr. Chesney's country is suburbia, a place of prized stability and modest pleasures. His cozy songs assure listeners that they're not missing a thing." Performing before an invitation only audience in Nashville, the "Crossroads" taping will find its larger home October 3 at 9 pm on CMT: Country Music Television. In between, fans can catch the final dates of the packed-to-the-gills Margaritas'n'Senoritas Tour, featuring Australian guitar wizard keith urban and award-winning songwriter Deana Carter, as it rocks on through the end of August. 7/21/2003 [http://www.kennychesney.com/index.htm? inc=news&nws_id=2004&CID=7bd41125398756ac17b48e6d02c0b05b]

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

From white sandy beaches and bottomless drinks, to relaxing in a hammock reading Hemingway, Kenny Chesney's got no problem taking a little time off. But talking to girls is a different story… by Beverly Keel When you think of Kenny Chesney, you immediately think summer. With his trademark puka shell necklace, deep tan, toned physique and upbeat party songs, the Tennessee mountain man has emerged as the Jimmy Buffett of country music. Like the master of Margaritaville, Kenny's concerts are beach parties without the water, complete with beach balls and scantily clad women – and that's before the music starts! Apparently, that's an atmosphere few can resist; Kenny, 35, earned Billboard's Top Country Tour of 2002 honor, and Pollstar recently named him the No.1 ticket seller so far this year for his festive Margaritas 'n' Senoritas tour. The island motif constantly surrounds country music's hottest bachelor, on and off the clock. Who can forget those beach shots in his video "How Forever Feels"? Even his current CD is titled No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem, perhaps a subtle tribute to the bars he frequents when he vacations on various Caribbean islands every chance he gets: unfortunately, he says, only about five times a year, "The beach and the islands are the best way I've found for me to exhale," Kenny says. "I spend all year promoting myself. I've never been able to do anything halfway; I can't mail a show in. It's intense from the meet-and-greet until the last note is played. Being focused for eight or nine months nonstop is kind of tough, so that's how I like to do it." So when he's finally off from his 10th year on the road, he'll really be off. He'll pack a guitar, a few books (recent reads include Michael J. Fox's autobiography, Lucky Man, and Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises) and take a few friends along on vacation. You'll find him resting in a hammock, not too far away from a hat loaded with ice and Coronas, or perhaps a bottle of Malibu rum. "They don't have CMT down there, so they don't care [about me]," he says. "I can 100 percent let my guard down and stick my toes in the sand. "There's something to be said for useless days," he says. "You know, days when you have nothing to do and all day to do it. Those days, time just slips away, and those are my favorite days." The beach also offers a wonderful respite from his tour bus, which serves as his home away from his Nashville home too much of the year. His high-tech bus includes hardwood floors, a satellite dish, leather seats, full-size refrigerator and shower, and two flat-screen TVs. "Still, you can put all of our stuff in a bus, and it's still a bus," he says. Kenny says being on the road makes him "feel like an astronaut, rolling in your own little world, going to another town – totally disconnected from anything resembling a normal life." One of his most unforgettable days ever happened on a boat called Hey Now in the Caribbean on New Year's Day 2001. [http://www.cmt.com/countrymusictoday/magazine/features/feature_04.htm l]

On the Screen, On the Beach With Kenny Chesney Edward Morris 07/30/2003 In the course of 10 years, Chesney's talent and tenacity have transported him from tiny clubs throughout the nation to his recent triumph of headlining a concert before 61,000 fans at the University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadium. The Knoxville performance was filmed for the new CMT special, Kenny Chesney: Back Where I Come From, premiering Friday (Aug. 1) at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The one-hour concert special includes appearances by Kid Rock, Uncle Kracker and NFL superstar Peyton Manning. Building his career on hit records and an insatiable appetite for touring, Chesney further established his artistic identity through music videos. Returning to the beach for his current single and music video -- "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" -- the 35-year-old crooner has all but taken over the tropics as his own personal Margaritaville. Although the song's lyrics cite Mexico as the idyllic getaway, Chesney introduces his video with a spoken tribute to "the islands," presumably those in the Caribbean. "They're the one place where you can truly be who you are," he rhapsodizes, "where it doesn't matter what you've done [or] how you make your life. You're just there, with the sun, the sand and the sea. The notion of no shoes, no shirts, no problems isn't a song title but a way of life -- my way of life -- where I feel the most alive, where I feel the most settled. When I'm not with you, the fans, out there on the road, it's where I feel really at home." The video is pure Chamber of Commerce scenics, with emerald water, white beaches, brown skin, amber sunsets and a surfeit of coconut- based elixirs. Let others sing of dead-end jobs, bad marriages and hungry kids. In his best-of-all-possible worlds, Chesney is the cocky high school senior headed south for spring break. Videos did a lot to establish the singer's well-muscled image long before he was filling arenas with it. He made his first three clips -- "Whatever It Takes," "The Tin Man" and "Somebody's Callin'" -- for Capricorn Records in 1993 and 1994. While they earned him a fair amount of exposure, they did little to distinguish him from the other upstarts. In 1995, Chesney switched to BNA Records, his current label, and opened that association with the light-hearted and catchy video, "Fall in Love." Still in search of a look that was distinctively his own, he wore a brown cowboy hat and a loose white, long-sleeved shirt. But he had already perfected that hip-swiveling, let's-get-it-on attitude that became increasingly evident as he poured out his feelings to the sweet young thing sitting there with a heart-shaped box of candy clasped to her bosom. "That's Why I'm Here," Chesney's fifth video for BNA, marked a departure from the artist's usually sunny countenance. Dark, foreboding and institutional looking, the production depicted an alcoholic trying to come to terms with his affliction. Even here, though, Chesney seemed more like a wayward youth than a ground-down drunk. "How Forever Feels," his first video romp in the tropics, gave fans the Kenny Chesney they know and cherish today. Lots of skin. Lots of grins. Lots of muscle-flexing. (It was also Chesney's first video to make CMT's best-of-the-year list, coming in at No. 4. ) The hunk who emerged in "How Forever Feels" put all his sexual energy to work in his next video, "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy." It may have been the girl who was turned on by agricultural implements here, but it was Chesney who caught the fever. His bumping, grinding and water-splashing at the end of the clip are among the most torrid scenes in country-video history. No wonder that the explosive sound of a tractor starting up has become such a staple -- and such a reliable crowd-inciter -- at his concerts. Chesney returned to the beach for "I Lost It." This is a puzzling piece, though, and may have more to do with the singer's well-known penchant for vacationing in the Virgin Islands than it does with his art. It seems strange that one would trek to a touristy seaside resort while in the throes of heartache, as he does here, and then ignore the one available lady who might help him salve his wound. Such fine points probably don't matter, however, given the fact that one got to see Chesney in his beachwear. Maybe that was enough. "Young" conveyed the quintessential Chesney -- old enough to look back with fondness yet young enough to meet teenagers on their own turf. Here was Kenny posing in a varsity jacket and Kenny standing outdoors, rockin' with the band and looking as buff as a high school jock. Who knew the Fountain of Youth bubbled up in his native East Tennessee! A part of Chesney's appeal is his pensiveness. After all, even a party animal has to pause now and then to take stock. It's not so much growing up as thinking about growing up. That was the theme of "The Good Stuff," in which he listened to an older and wiser man (the bartender) explain why a lovers' spat was no reason to hit the sauce. Chesney clearly told his own story in "Big Star," even though the narrative was built around a female performer. Of course, that's the story of every overlooked and underrated kid who beat the odds and then came roaring back to dazzle his former detractors. On another level, the video -- with its whirl of stage lights, sexy costumes and phalanx of security guards -- was every fan's fantasy of what it's like to be a superstar. But, Chesney's discovered, when the spotlight becomes too bright, there's always the healing shade of a palm tree and the soothing wash of the surf. [http://www.cmt.com/news/feat/kchesney.073003.jhtml]

Helicopter crashes during music video A helicopter crashed Tuesday night during taping for an upcoming Kenny Chesney video, but the three guys inside suffered only minor injuries. Kenny wasn't on the set, his publicist said in a news release. Nashville music video director Shaun Silva was in the chopper in Austin, Texas, to get the last shot for a video for the upcoming single There Goes My Life. The chopper was following a car to capture a driving-into-the-sunset shot when it hit some power lines. The helicopter fell, smashed into the ground and burst into flames, burning completely, but Shaun, his director of photography and the pilot all crawled away with scrapes and bruises. Shaun and the two other guys, both from Austin and both not named, were taken to a local hospital and treated. It was unknown whether they spent the night in the hospital, but they were definitely out by yesterday morning. Shaun has made several of Kenny's videos, including those for Young, The Good Stuff and Big Star. Kenny, in a statement, said he was shaken but glad that no one was seriously hurt. Shaun's wife, country singer Shannon Brown, was in Austin at the time of the crash, but she didn't witness it. [http://tennessean.com/celebrities/index.shtml

Hooters Air Welcomes Kenny Chesney Tuesday August 26, 9:14 am ET ATLANTA, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Hooters Air announced today it will be carrying Kenny Chesney, along with his band, family and friends on a vacation trip to the Caribbean. Hooters Air will bring its specially configured aircraft with 132 dark blue leather seats, extra leg room, and staff of two pilots, 3 flight attendants and 2 Hooters Girls. "Kenny Chesney is the hottest ticket in Country Music today; we are very excited to be working with his organization," stated Hooters Air President Mark Peterson. "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems, works very well with 'Easy to Buy Fun to Fly' Hooters Air. Charters for individual groups are one of the things we do best." Hooters Air charter flights are operated by Pace Airlines. Hooters Air currently has scheduled routes between Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, Newark, and Myrtle Beach and will be servicing additional cities in the near future. Reservations can be made at www.hootersair.com or by calling 1-888-FLY-HOOT (1-888-359-4668). For information on Hooters Air Charters please call (843) 916-4600. Hooters of America, Inc. is the franchiser and operator of over 350 Hooters restaurants in 43 states and 10 foreign countries. The first Hooters opened in 1983 in Clearwater, Florida. Hooters is well known for its brand of food and fun, featuring a casual beach-theme atmosphere, a menu that features seafood, sandwiches and Hooters' signature chicken wings, and service provided by the All-American cheerleaders, the Hooters Girls. Hooters is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a year-long celebration that includes parties in all locations on the 20th of every month with a 20% customer discount on food and merchandise; an exciting Double Decade promotion; and an exclusive 20th Anniversary merchandise line. Source: Hooters of America, Inc. [http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030826/attu006_1.html]

Kenny Chesney Responds To The Death Of Johnny Cash Kenny Chesney: I don't know if I can say this, but it's how I feel... To me, Johnny Cash was the original bad ass in music. Not just country music, but all music. Everybody strives to be universal, but he was the first one to make it so... to make it where everybody could see themselves in the songs, in that music. When you can give people all that, their dignity, their power, then you've really made a mark -- and that's the kind of mark that will last beyond forever. posted: 9/12/2003 [http://www.kennychesney.com/index.htm? inc=news&nws_id=2282&CID=8e78774835bc9414d1f9069cfa232de2]

Guitars and gridiron: Chesney, Manning have had share of hits

By JEFF LEGWOLD Staff Writer Somewhere in the Caribbean this morning, another day in a Rand McNally life, Kenny Chesney has no shirt, no shoes and just one problem. He has to find a television. ''The joys of a satellite dish,'' Chesney said. ''I'll find one somewhere, and I'll get that game on. I have to check in and see how he is doing.'' ''That game'' is Titans-Colts. ''He'' is Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. Chesney, whose No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems CD has sold roughly 2.5 million copies, wants to see how ''one of my good buddies'' will fare against the Titans defense. The 35-year-old Tennessee native, who had country music's top grossing tour last year, and the 27-year-old former University of Tennessee star, a three-time Pro Bowl selection in the NFL, have spent the better part of eight years constructing a friendship, jamming it into two increasingly busy schedules. ''We find the time,'' Chesney said. ''But the schedule is difficult on any relationship, whether it's family, love life or a friendship. But we talk a lot, we try to keep it all together. I was just in Indianapolis for a celebrity bowling tournament he has, and when it was all over I just said, 'OK, I'll see you after the season.' We both kind of just laugh about that. … ''But he loves country music, I love football … our friendship has grown a lot.'' Musicians and athletes have long crossed paths. Dove Award winner Michael W. Smith is a regular visitor to Titans headquarters and is a friend of Coach Jeff Fisher. Running back Eddie George is engaged to Tamara Johnson of the R&B group SWV. But as close as Chesney and Manning are now, their friendship got off to a rocky start on Rocky Top. ''Basically the first words he spoke to me were something like, 'Get out of here, you ain't supposed to be here,' '' Chesney said. That was 1996, when Chesney was still a singer on the rise. He approached Manning on the sideline during a Tennessee-Alabama game. Manning had tossed a touchdown pass in the rainy-day game, jogged to the sideline and ''here's this guy, about 5-7, 5-8, 150 pounds, in an orange poncho, whacking me on the shoulder pads. I'm like, 'Shouldn't he be in the stands or something?' '' ''I went over and slapped him on the shoulder pad and said, 'Good job buddy,' '' Chesney said. ''He just said, 'Get out of here, who is this kid?' To be honest with you, he didn't know who I was. I was just some guy on the sidelines.'' The two eventually hooked up for lunch. ''We've been buddies ever since,'' Chesney said. Just after his senior year at Tennessee, Manning appeared on stage with Chesney at a concert in Bristol. Later he appeared with Chesney during a show at the Superdome in New Orleans, Manning's hometown. Manning estimated he's been on stage with Chesney 20 times, unplugged guitar thrown over his shoulder, belting out the chorus to Don't Happen Twice or one of Chesney's other top-10 hits. ''I've mastered the art of being just far enough from the microphone so people can't hear me,'' Manning said. ''I stand in back, pull my hat low, and you know people never really watch the band. A lot of times people don't know until Kenny introduces the band, and then the show's over so they can't really look if I'm really singing or not.'' They originally made a pact that if Chesney put Manning on stage, Manning would put Chesney, a former high school wide receiver, on the Colts practice field. ''I'm usually one of those guys who always pays my debts,'' Manning said. ''But I haven't gotten him into practice yet. Believe me, I've tried, the offer's been there, but his schedule just hasn't allowed for that. Kenny is a frustrated wide receiver. He loves football, but he never caught a touchdown. So hopefully we can get him out there with no pads and get him a touchdown.'' Manning tries to meet Chesney and his band on tour at least once during the NFL offseason and spends about three days on the road. He rides in Chesney's tour bus, is onstage during the shows and even works out with Chesney. Manning wouldn't mind touring more, but his wife Ashley ''is only going to let me get away with that for a few days.'' And although Chesney is wildly popular, he's come to realize that Manning has quite a fan base of his own. ''It depends where we're at,'' Chesney said, ''but when we're out on the road like that you see Peyton's a world-wide athlete — you know, Gatorade and Coke — so a few more people are stopping him, then me.'' Chesney sang in Manning's wedding and the reception. Manning has tried to take up the guitar. But Manning's favorite story about the friendship comes from his days in Knoxville. Just two months after his senior season, as he was preparing to leave for the NFL's scouting combine, Manning and his friends decided to have one last party before they all went their separate ways. They hired what Manning called ''some fraternity band'' to play in his Old Town apartment. ''Kenny was up there visiting his mother and he calls to see what's going on,'' Manning said. ''I say, 'Why don't you stop by, we're having a little blowout before we all take off.' So he comes by and there are about 100 people there.'' Eventually Chesney was cornered by center Trey Teague, who convinced him to play some songs. ''Trey tells the band to sit down and shut up and that Kenny needs their equipment,'' Manning said. ''Kenny played for an hour and half. Well, everyone was on their cell phones saying this is about to happen, and pretty soon there are people packed in there, hanging from the rails. ''Every year I go back to Knoxville the legend gets a little bigger. This year I heard somebody say their brother was there and that there were 2,000 people. I don't know how crowded it was, I'm just glad I was one of them.'' [http://www.tennessean.com/sports/titans/archives/03/09/39276341.shtml ?Element_ID=39276341]

Gone Fishing When Kenny Chesney wrapped his wildly successful Margaritas'n'Senoritas Tour and watched No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems nudge its way to just shy of quadruple platinum, he vowed that having started his work sprint December 26 of last year, he was taking some time off. Immediately following the final show, closing the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville, he put his band, his crew and everyone who worked for him on a plane to the islands where they proceeded to romp and sun and have fun in the tropical waters that are so much an informing element of the Luttrell, Tennessean's live shows. And Chesney didn't let the reality stop there. He set sail for points unknown, stopping where the wind or the waves or the need for cold Coronas took him… and occasionally he'd dock somewhere to pick up an old friend from wherever. Last week, Chesney met old pal, legendary writer and frequent collaborator Dean Dillon at a port of call that he won't reveal - and the two took off after big fish and bigger tales. "There are so many similiarities between Dean and Ernest Hemingway, it's not funny… they both lived down in the islands… they both write with amazing insight… and are very lean writers, too, what they do with language… and they had these incredibly huge hearts that are all about consuming every last bit of life and moments and whatever else they come across. "Oh, yeah, and we wrote a couple great songs." Chesney returns to the studio in October. Obviously, he'll have a couple whoppers to bring back from his writing with Dean Dillon on a big of a working break with guitars. posted: 9/15/2003 [http://www.kennychesney.com/index.htm? inc=news&nws_id=2302&CID=021393176545cc25167722342bd135d5]

Kenny Chesney Charges His Batteries

Kenny Chesney has been out of the public eye for the past month, hanging out on his boat in the Caribbean -- barefooted, sans cell phone, a guitar and cooler by his side. Basically, he's been living his "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" music video 24/7. After wrapping up his Margaritas `n' Senoritas tour in August, country's newest superstar needed a break. Now he's back to work, and CMT News caught up with him at Nashville's Starstruck Studios. Chesney was tan, rested and eager to talk about his big year, an upcoming Christmas album, his collaboration with John Mellencamp on CMT Crossroads (premiering Oct. 3) and plans for his 2004 tour. CMT News: I understand this is the first time you've taken any real time off in three years? Why now? Chesney: I was tired.(laughs) Very tired! Our tour ended at the end of August, and the way our tour is laid out now I get a little more time off than I used to. The past month I've been floating around in the ocean in my boat just hanging out, writing a few songs. I had like a three-inch beard before I came in here this morning. I had to shave it because I was doing this [TV interview]. I didn't want America to see me like Tom Hanks on that island. CMT: Is it hard for you to switch gears after you've been out on tour? Chesney: Yeah it is. It's a natural progression. Being on a boat in the middle of the Caribbean kind of lets you do that very quickly. I'm glad I have that love affair with the water and the ocean because if I didn't, I don't know what I'd be doing. You know, maybe doing something self-destructive, who knows? But I love it. This was the most hectic year of my life on top of touring, just other things. There's always something, and I'm the kind of person that I don't do anything half-assed. I've got to do it all the way. I can't just mail it in and go through the motions. So, I had so many things to do this year, and when you're as hands-on as I am, it's just so exhausting. CMT: With so much down time to think, I'm sure you had a little bit of time to reflect on this crazy year. What were the high points for you? Chesney: Well, I won two major awards this year. I won [the ACM] single of the year for "Good Stuff" and I won male vocalist of the year for the ACMs, and that was a big highlight. Just being able to do what we love to do at the level we're doing it was the biggest highlight, though. To walk out on stage every night, to walk through the hallway, even before we'd get to the stage at the arenas or the sheds that we're playing and hear 15,000 to 20,000 people just go nuts even before we're going on stage … that's the highlight. I still hear that when I lay down at night. CMT: Two big things that happened to you were your Neyland Stadium show in Knoxville and also playing with John Mellencamp [on CMT Crossroads]. What are your thoughts on those experiences? Chesney: The Knoxville show still seems a little surreal to me, like it just never happened -- like it was just all one big dream. To be able to fill a football stadium with people who love music is just an awesome experience. I was not myself for I'd say, [for the first] 15 minutes of the show. It finally kicked in a little later. And, playing with John Mellencamp … I'd been listening to John's music for a long time. John's just an awesome guy for me to be around. We found out in a couple of days how much -- it was scary how much -- we had in common. To share the stage with a guy that you really look up to and you sing a lot of his songs in the clubs coming up. We still do [Mellencamp's hit] "Jack and Diane" now. CMT: Was it a trip to hear him sing "Young"? Chesney: Oh, God. To hear Mellencamp sing my songs was -- I mean, it was a trip to be able to be on stage with him, but to hear Mellencamp sing "Young" and "Back Where I Come From" and whatever else he did, it was awesome. It was really, really cool. It was something that I was very glad that I did, very glad that I had that experience and got to meet him and his wife and become friends with him. Every night onstage I wear an old beat up concert shirt. I told John that, and he told his wife that. And I got in the mail probably 20 old John Mellencamp real concert shirts from when he first started. It was a pretty cool gift to have. It came out of his warehouse in Indiana. CMT: Before you mentioned the ACM awards. You didn't come back to the press room that night because you were so overwhelmed. I'm just curious, what was going through your mind at that moment when you won male vocalist? Chesney: A lot of my friends have won that. A lot of my heroes have won that. I remember sitting at college up at East Tennessee State University and watching those awards shows and watching Garth [Brooks] and George Strait and Clint Black and Randy Travis win those awards. Alan Jackson. Really, I had a pretty good speech, to be honest with you. I didn't get to use it, but I've got it saved. If I ever win another one, I've got it saved. But I was onstage and I looked out in front of everybody, and I saw George Strait down there, and he and I have become pretty good friends over the years. Looked at him, and I saw Vince Gill and I saw Alan. I saw all these guys, just great country singers that I've looked up to for so long and have admired and that have stood in that spot and I was standing there in that spot and they were up there looking at me standing there in that spot. It was a pretty emotional thing. You know, because odds were against me standing in that spot. Odds are against anybody standing in that spot -- and I was. It was a pretty tough thing to handle. CMT: Of course, we've got the CMAs coming up, so maybe that speech will come in handy there. Chesney: I hope so. I've never won a CMA award. So, I'd like to win one sooner or later. I love what I do on the road and what's happening with us out on the road, and that's my award really. But, you know, I'm not going to lie. I'd love to win one. CMT: What does that mean to you to be in the entertainer category? Chesney: Everything. That's what I think we do best. That's why we're out there. It's the entertainment business. I feel like that when we get out there in front of all those people. I feed off their energy, and I think they feed off ours. To be in the vicinity of entertainer of the year, even to be thought of in the same sentence is a dream come true. I know that sounds like a cliché, but it really, really is. I mean, I've been doing this a long time. There was actually one point when I thought, "You know what? I don't know if I'll ever win entertainer of the year." Not everybody gets to that point to be in a position to win. And we're in a position to win it now. CMT: We've been talking about the ACMs and CMAs, which are both country awards shows. Your name has been a regular in that for the last few years, but what about the American Music Awards? How is that show maybe different from the ones that are strictly country? Chesney: Well, the American Music Awards are exactly kind of what it says; it's American music, and that just doesn't mean country. It's rap. It's hip-hop. It's rock `n' roll. It's everything. We performed out there a couple of times. I've never won an American Music Award either, and so it'd be a big thrill to win that. No doubt about it. But it's never been my goal to win awards. I've never thought, "I've just got to win a CMA Award. I've just got to do it." I've never really sat and said that to myself. Many times I've said, "I've got to find a better song. I've got to make my show better. I've got to find a way to turn these people in the 50th row on. I've got to figure out a way to do that." That's what I think about all the time. But it would be good to win, too. CMT: You're talking about finding better songs, and you mentioned just a second ago you were writing on the island. Is that something that you're trying to do more of? Chesney: Well, I've written a couple of songs here that I'm very proud of. I've never been the kind of artist that says, "I've got to write all the songs that I put on my record." You know, I could write 10 songs a year to put on my record, but I'd have a pretty average record. CMT: I have to ask you about your Christmas album. Why did you want to do one? Chesney: I love Christmas! I do. I didn't want to do a Christmas album that was just like everybody else's. You know, everybody does the same songs every year, and they put their own little touch on it, sure. But, you know, I grew up in the Smoky Mountains, and I still spend Christmas in east Tennessee, but for the last four or five years, I've spent it down in the islands. Hanging out down there and it's such an odd existence. At first it was odd to hear Bing Crosby in 80-degree weather and to see Santa Claus on the beach and to see Christmas lights in palm trees, but it's a pretty cool thing, too. You don't have to go any further than the title [All I Want for Christmas Is a Real Good Tan] to know that you're going to hear an island influence on this Christmas record. CMT: You have some special guests on the album? Chesney: Yeah. Growing up in the South, during Christmas time you heard "Christmas in Dixie" so many times. Everybody loves that song. Randy Owen of Alabama came up and sang "Christmas in Dixie" with me, and Willie Nelson sang "Pretty Paper" with me. I've always loved "Pretty Paper." It's really neat to have those guys on my record, but the thing that I'm most proud of is on "Silent Night." My mom and my Aunt Sharon, who are twins, they all used to sing together as kids and still do every now and then. They came in and sang harmony with me on "Silent Night." Mom actually has her own step out part on the record. It's something that all of us are going to have for the rest of our lives. CMT: What are you doing for the rest of the year? Are you going to go back down to the islands and hang out some more? Chesney: I am. I'm going to go down there and do some fishing. I caught a 200-pound blue marlin last week, so that kind of got me wanting to fish a little more and catch another one. It took me 30 minutes to get it even close to the boat. So, I want to go down, get on the boat and do some fishing and write some songs and sit on the beach and think about how wonderful this year has been. Finally, my ears have quit ringing. I can lay down at night and not hear my ears ringing from the music. I sleep a lot better now. (laughs) CMT: You've had two incredibly successful tours in a row. Have you had time to consider what you're going to do to keep that momentum going or maybe even top it next year? Chesney: Yeah, we're going to go out there, and we're going to throw it at them as hard as we can throw it at them again. Hopefully, the momentum will be there. To be honest with you, this past couple of days, I was with my production manager and my set designer going over what my set's going to look like when we go out next March. I know it's a long way away, but you know, if you think about it, it's not really. So much preparation goes into putting on a tour as big as what we're doing right now. It's not a thing you can just kind of make up. You've got to plan. Even though I'm off the road, mentally I feel really good right now. My batteries are pretty charged. Lisa Lee 09/22/2003 [http://www.cmt.com/news/feat/kchesney.092203.jhtml]

SMALL TOWN BOYS Coming off a blockbuster tour KENNY CHESNEY shares a work ethic - and a stage - with one of his musical heroes Most singers dream of one day sharing the stage with their musical idols. For Kenny Chesney, that dream recently came true. He and singer/songwriter John Mellencamp traded their hits on an episode of the upcoming CMT Crossroads series, debuting Oct. 3. "This is one of those pinch-yourself moments," reveals Kenny during a break in rehearsing the show at a theater next to Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House. "When I first started playing music I sang a lot of Mellencamp songs. I was in college in a fraternity house singing 'Jack and Diane' and 'Pink Houses' and 'Hurts So Good.' When I started playing the bars, I'd do his songs then, too. Now singing those songs with him and his band is a really neat experience." Rehearsing with Mellencamp, Kenny's face reveals a mixture of pure joy and disbelief at his good fortune. "There have been a couple of these 'I can't believe I'm here' moments this year," he notes. "Like when I sang with Jimmy Buffett onstage, and with Willie Nelson. There are moments when you have to just kind of step back, take a deep breath and realize what's happening to you and how cool it is." Lately Kenny's life has been full of cool moments. The small-town boy from the tiny Tennessee town of Luttrell was this year's top-grossing touring country artist, bringing home $24 million. He won the ACM's Top Male Vocalist award. And most recently he was nominated for two CMAs, for Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year. He's also awaiting the Oct. 7 release of his Christmas album, All I Want for Christmas Is a Real Good Tan. So how does Kenny plan on finishing out 2003? "I'm going to retire for two months," he jokes, "and then make a comeback next year!" He grins. "I'm going to take a much-needed break. I'm going to hang out in the Caribbean a little bit, go over to East Tennessee and get reacquainted with my family. I'm going to go see [former University of Tennessee and current Indiana Colts quarterback] Peyton [Manning] play in Indianapolis, and try to go to a couple of University of Tennessee games and Titans games. I'm just going to try to be normal." But it's hard to be normal when one of your heroes is jamming with you backstage at your own CMT special. "We just started writing a song!" beams Kenny at one point, emerging excitedly from John's dressing room. The backstage area is teeming with production folks, managers, publicists and various media. Kenny and John head back to the rehearsal stage. As John's band slams through his 1985 pop hit, "Small Town," he and Kenny stand side-by-side at their mics, trading off the song's lyrics about the joys of living in a less-hurried, less-stressful place outside the bustle of a big city. It's a theme that resonates equally with both singers. "I was talking with one of John's band members earlier," notes Kenny, "and he goes, 'You know what? We're all country. We all grew up in Indiana.' And I grew up in Tennessee. We have very similar backgrounds. We grew up in the country, in a place that wasn't that big. A place where you knew everybody. A place where music was a very important thing in our lives. Sometimes that's all we had to do - listen to music, or learn how to play it. "I think there's some commonality there with me and John. We grew up very similarly. We write and sing about some of the same things." Indeed, if John was a country artist, there's a very good chance you might have heard his voice instead of Kenny's on "Back Where I Come From." "He told me, 'I could've recorded this,' says Kenny proudly. "And 'Young' is very much a Mellencamp-feel song, too. I think when you're in high school really getting into music, if you grow up to be a music star, what comes out of you as an artist is what came into you as a kid. So if 'Young' sounds like a Mellencamp song, then I come by it honest. Along with George Jones and Hank Jr. and George Strait and Randy Travis, I also listened to Tom Petty and John Mellencamp. A lot of that stuff comes out in my music." As Kenny comes offstage and waits for the actual show's filming to begin, he reflects on the lyrics of John's "Small Town" and realizes just how much his own small hometown prepared him for the life he now enjoys. "The way I was brought up," confesses Kenny, "nothing was ever given to me. We worked for everything we got. I think I took some of that mentality into my career. Because nothing is ever given to you in the music business - you've gotta take it." As Kenny readies himself for a much-deserved break this fall, he knows that the high-decibel memories of his past big year won't stop rattling around his head anytime soon. "I'm going to wait for the ringing to get out of my ears at night. It's amazing - I usually go to sleep with ringing in my ears," he says. "But it's a good ring - it's the ring of my ear monitors, the music, the fans. It's awesome." Story by Wendy Newcomer

[www.countryweekly.com]

Kenny Chesney Gets Every Man's Fantasy… ''Cold Pizza'' ESPN's New Wake-Up Show Does CMA Day Life Shot. Nashville, TN: What man doesn't wanna get out of bed and have a little cold pizza? Well, if you're Kenny Chesney, one of People Magazine's Sexiest Men Alive and a double Country Music Association Awards nominee, he not only gets to have his cold pizza, he gets to have it on ESPN's brand new male-driven morning show of the same name, which debuts Monday Oct. 20th. "When I heard ESPN was doing a sports-driven morning show, I knew that was something I wanted to be a part of," says the Luttrell, Tennessean of his big booking. "As much as I love sports, as much as I was raised on UT football, this is exactly the kind of thing that makes me really, REALLY happy. For 'Cold Pizza,' I WILL get up early on CMA show day!" Having sold over 67,000 tickets at the University of Tennessee's hallowed high temple of college football Neyland Stadium this spring, Chesney's all about hitting his sports marks. The reigning Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist and Single of the Year winner for "The Good Stuff" was joined onstage there by Kid Rock for a medley, Uncle Kracker for "Drift Away" and Indiana Colt Payton Manning for an especially moving take on "Back Where I Come From," Chesney's unofficial theme song -- and the title for a $1.3 million dollar CMT special, directed by Superbowl Halftime Show wizard Beth McCarthy. "I don't know if I can get Payton to be part of this deal with me or not, but it would sure be fun to have him get on the show with me if he can" says the singer/songwriter with the best smile in country music. "To me, a morning show that's all about the stuff guys talk about on their way to class or work is a pretty cool idea -- and I wanna be part of this mix and mix it up." Chesney is gearing up for his CMA performance - where he will debut his brand new single "There Goes My Life" -- by continuing work on the follow-up to his approaching quadruple platinum No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems. In addition, the man The Los Angeles Times hails because he "sings the things that women like to hear" is enjoying the successful first week sales of his first ever holiday collection All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan, which sold over 3000 copies through his fan website alone. "Having taken a little bit of time off, it feels great to get back to it," admits the very hands-on superstar. "This is what we get into it for: making music. And as we're cutting again, I feel like I'm coming back to life in a whole other way -- and can't wait. Getting on the CMAs and singing 'There Goes My Life' is gonna be a rush. So what better way to gear up for it than doing ESPN's 'Cold Pizza' for breathfast that day? Just don't tell Daniel, my trainer, he might think it's something I'm actually eatting." In addition to performing live on the 37th Annual CMA Awards Nov. 5th telecast, where he's nominated for Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year, Chesney is being profiled as part of CBS News' primetime magazine "48 Hours" in the days leading up to CMAs. The segment follows Chesney behind the scenes at the historic Neyland Stadium show and then catches up with the laidback musician for some hang time in the Carribbean. And with "Cold Pizza" on the morning of CMAs, there's yet another way to wake-up with country's hottest bachelor - bring your remote and your own slice for the action. posted: 10/17/2003 [http://www.kennychesney.com/index.htm? inc=news&nws_id=2467&CID=de789255eaf509270282c732016d5b87]

ASCAP Party Kicks Off CMA Week:"The Good Stuff" Wins Top Honor

"The Good Stuff" won the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' (ASCAP) song of the year honors on Monday night (Nov. 3) - - a perfect theme to a star-filled awarrds ceremony. Numerous stars were spotted in the crowd: Kenny Chesney (of course), Terri Clark, Toby Keith, Alabama's Randy Owen, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Diamond Rio's Marty Roe, Mark Wills and Darryl Worley. And that's not all. Also mingling: Jeff Bates, Tammy Cochran, Kellie Coffey, Earl Thomas Conley, Rodney Crowell, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Brenda Lee, Trick Pony, Chalee Tennison, Josh Turner and Phil Vassar. But mostly it was a crowd of songwriters, who were individually honored by the performing rights organization for composing the previous year's most performed songs. Alan Jackson, who was not present, earned his fifth songwriter-artist ASCAP award. Craig Wiseman, who wrote "The Good Stuff," was named ASCAP's songwriter of the year. His other 2002 writing credits include "American Child," "The Cowboy in Me" and "Young." "This is a tough son of a bitch to get," Wiseman said from the stage. "Some people make it look easy." Wiseman, who moved to Nashville in 1985, added, "When I say I love this town, this town is just buildings. So it all comes down to, I really love you guys, man." Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash were remembered in a memorable video montage (complete with pyrotechnic graphics), then honored with the ASCAP Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award. Wal-Mart also got props for its dedication to country music. Representing a third of the songs being honored, EMI Music Publishing won ASCAP's publisher of the year award for the seventh year since 1990. Connie Bradley, an ASCAP vice president, hosted the evening. Although none of the songwriters except Wiseman were allowed an acceptance speech, the evening still lingered well past two hours. Dinner was late, and Ray Benson and Dierks Bentley soldiered on through some embarrassing sound gaffes. The black-tie crowd was also lectured about downloading, in a speech and a song. But aside from all the talking, the 63 hit songs -- from "Ain't Nothin' 'Bout You" to "You Can't Hide Beautiful" -- took center stage. The sheer volume of star power at the ASCAP function proved that it all begins with a song, and that CMA week is no exception. [http://www.cmt.com/news/events/cma2003/ascap.110403.jhtml]

Margaritas'n'Senoritas Is Country's Top Ticket Tour, #3 Overall According To Pollstar Nashville, TN: Lots of people wanna lay claim to having country music's biggest tour. But when the dust settles and the tickets are counted, it's a pretty non-negotiable reality: Kenny Chesney -- even without several major fair dates reporting -- falls right behind Bruce Springsteen and the Dave Matthews Band for tickets sold, according to numbers released in the October 27 issue of Pollstar, the bible of the touring industry. "I was pretty blown away when my manager called me," admits the reigning Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist and Single of the Year winner. "Every night, we go out there and throw the music at the fans and are always rocked by what they throw back at us. We don't think in terms of numbers, we think in terms of cheering faces -- and Lord knows, there've been a bunch of 'em out there this year. "Being behind Bruce Springsteen -- whose 'One Step Up' I cut for No Shoes -- and Dave Matthews -- who I think is so cool -- is one of those things you can't quite get your head around," continues the boy from Luttrell, Tennessee. "To me, those guys are stars… and me, I'm really more like one of those fans, having fantasy camp and waiting to wake up every night. Being in that company, blows my mind." With nominations for Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year at this Wednesday's Country Music Association Awards, Chesney is more than living up to the standard set by past winners of both awards. Given his strong fan association, Chesney has not only been aggressive about getting out on the road and taking his music to the people, he's tried to maintain a reasonable ticket price so his teen and 20-something fans have no problem bringing a date to his shows. "I remember being a young guy, wanting to ask girls to go with me, and I couldn't. Guy-to-guy, I wanna do everything possible to make that not be the problem. Asking the girl? They're on their own, but in terms of affording it -- that's something I understand from high school, college and being a struggling musician." Hard at work in the studio on the follow-up to his nearly four-million-selling No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems, Chesney is gearing up for a big CMA week. Having just been hailed as "the biggest star in country music" by CBS News' network magazine show "48 Hours," this Pollstar honor validates the very thing that is the antithesis of the laidback singer/songwriter who's all about bringing the moments that define young lives into focus with his music. "I look in the mirror and I see the same guy I've always been," concedes the soft-spoken musician. "I don't ever wanna seem like I'm not grateful or delighted by these sorts of things, but to me, in a strange way, it adds pressure -- because it means I have to work that much harder, give the fans that much more. I take what I bring to that stage very seriously… because what they give me rocks me in ways I'd never imagined. Having been there, I know what it feels like out on the lawn when someone is making it happen onstage, and for my fans, I never want them to leave with any less than the best we can give them." Debuting his Top 20 smash "There Goes My Life" on Nov 5's "CMA Awards" telecast on CBS -- and also appearing on ESPN's full-throttle guy- oriented wake-up show "Cold Pizza" at 6 a.m. (7 a.m. EST) CMA morning, Chesney remains about hitting it hard and making the most of the moments. Win, lose or draw, for him, the fans have spoken with the tickets they've bought -- and that's what really matters. ############## For Immediate Release 3 November 2003 For More Information Holly Gleason for Joe's Garage Wes Vause for BNA Nashville [http://www.joesgarage615.com/CHESNEYpollstar3.htm]

Country Weekly Article : CHANGED MAN

Kenny Chesney's triceps are straining as he pushes his body up
between two parallel bars - an impressive feat, considering there's a
45-pound weight hanging from his waist. Beads of sweat dot his
forehead, but with a determined grimace, he repeats the exercise
again and again.

To the non-hard-bodied masses, this looks like a form of torture. To
Kenny, it's all in a day's work.

"I've been working out this intensely for about three years," he
explains, resting for a moment on a weight bench. "I've always been
active, but in the past three years I've been working out like a pro
athlete. It's changed my life."

When Kenny burst on the scene in 1993 with his debut
single, "Whatever It Takes," he looked like many other male singers
of that era, sporting jeans, a big belt buckle, a boyish, round baby
face - and a few extra pounds.

"Back then, when I was on the road I'd get offstage and eat pizza at
2 o'clock in the morning and drink a bunch," he remembers. "You do
that for two or three years and, all of a sudden, your jeans don't
fit the same.

"I look back at pictures from that time and I don't look like the
same guy. I'll never go back to eating like I did."

These days, Kenny's diet is strictly monitored by Daniel Meng, the
personal trainer he's been working with since 2000. Daniel recalls
their first meeting. "Kenny was a typical guy who lifts weights and
doesn't know what he's doing," he notes with a grin. "All he did was
stuff for his chest, his shoulders - things that impressed people. So
our main concern, initially, was getting his whole body in shape at
once, and getting him cardiovascularly in shape.

"He listened to everything I said," adds Daniel. "He didn't complain.
But the major thing was his eating. When I started going on the road
with him full-time, that was the biggest curveball. He didn't realize
what it took to really get lean."

What it took was cutting out nearly all of Kenny's favorite foods. "I
love pizza, ice cream and cheeseburgers," admits Kenny. "I grew up in
the country; I love fried food. And I haven't had a lot of fried
food, cheeseburgers or pizza in the past couple of years.

"But one thing that helps me get through eating broccoli, chicken,
carrots and egg whites all the time is, on Sundays, I can eat
anything I want to, and as much as I want to. So, when I get to
Wednesday and want something other than what's on my diet, I go, 'If
I can just wait a couple more days, it'll be Sunday.' When Sunday
comes, it's that much sweeter."

Kenny's body is not the only thing that's different. "I've changed in
so many ways," he states. "I'm not the same person I was five years
ago. I'm not the same singer or entertainer. I think I'm recording
and writing better songs now, and singing better in the studio.

"With changing my body like I did, it gave me a lot more confidence
onstage. There's a difference between being cocky and being
confident. I feel very confident when I go onstage now. I didn't feel
that way when I had a gut hanging over my belt buckle."

[http://www.countryweekly.com/stories/feature.cfm?instanceid=59780]

Chesney Refreshed for New Album By Neil Haislop, Country Forever Productions NASHVILLE, TN Wednesday 12.3.2003 /netmusiccountdown.com/ -- Chesney says it was taking some quality time off in the islands and contemplating his growth since his last album that inspired much of "When the Sun Goes Down," his next studio album, scheduled for release on February 3rd, 2004. "I'm proud of my last record, the way I put so much of myself out there -- and I knew what we had to do with 'When The Sun Goes Down:' paint the same picture of where I am now," Kenny concludes. "I'm not running any more? I'm taking life as it comes. I'm happier than I've ever been; I'm more creative and learning how to write better songs -- to take an emotion and make it mean something, take other people into the feelings. But I also love to have fun. We've had a lot of it over the past year. I think 'When The Sun Goes Down' captures both sides of me, that way." Copyright ©2003, Net Music Countdown. All Rights Reserved. [http://www.netmusiccountdown.com/news/article.php?id=4339]

He Wants To Be A Cowboy Songwriter, Bay-Bee

When he jetted into Knoxville to take part in Kenny Chesney's
precedent setting "Back Where I Come From 3: One Night at Neyland"
homecoming concert for 67,000 at the University of Tennessee's
football stadium, Kid Rock more than demonstrated the solidity of his
friendship with the reigning Academy of Country Music Top Male
Vocalist of the Year. And the two actually recorded together -- a
lost hour's re-visiting of Waylon Jennings' "Luckenbach, Texas" for
RCA's tribute to the noted country rebel -- last year.

So, it should come as no surprise to fans to see Chesney's name on
the writer credits of Kid Rock, which just received a 4 star review
in Rolling Stone . And the song -- described as "the too-much-touring
ballad" "Cold and Empty" -- was singled out in the review.

The song "…doubles as a prom song and triples as a tribute to the
fans who make his (Kid Rock's) populism credible." The lyrics include
the cited lines: "It's the life I love, but it's you I can't live
without."

"Me and Bobby have some pretty good talks about all of this stuff,"
says Chesney of his writing partner. "He's got a really good handle
on all it… and he's a thinker. Writing with him is always so much in
the zone… because he knows what he does and what he wants to say. And
the coolest thing about this song for me is that my buddy and
production guy Mark Tamberino, who's an alternative artist in his own
rite, got to be a part of writing this song, too." While it appears
there will be no Kid Rock co-writes on Chesney's follow-up to the
nearly quadruple platinum No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems, he is busy
in the studio putting final touches on his next record and gearing up
for the launch of his website only DVD "Roadcase: Behind The Scenes
On The Margaritas'n'Senoritas Tour." The screening will be tomorrow
night in Nashville for friends, family and coconspirators of the road.

In addition, the man who sold more concert tickets this year than
anybody other than Bruce Springsteen and the Dave Matthews Band is
strapping on his snow shoes and pulling on his long johns to head to
Minneapolis for his Mall of America appearance in support of All I
Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan. "Minneapolis is definitely a
place where a tropical vacation is probably the ultimate fantasy at
this time of year," admits Chesney. "I can't take'em all to the
Caribbean, but I can at least give people a pretty good recipe for
Painkillers.

UNDER THE HOOD…
notes from joe's garage
posted: 12/02/2003

[http://www.kennychesney.com/index.htm?
inc=news&nws_id=2672&CID=d0371078a7bebfba768d848e165c96f9]

THE "SUN" ALSO RISES FOR KENNY CHESNEY Fans anxiously awaiting word on Kenny Chesney's upcoming studio album have already proved their adoration by propelling his latest single, "There Goes My Life," to #4 on "Radio & Records'" Country Top 50 chart in just eight weeks. But there's more good news on the horizon. Kenny is currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on "When The Sun Goes Down," which is now set to arrive in stores February 3rd. Promising his "most personal album yet," Kenny considers his new CD a portrait of who he is as an artist – and as a man. With that notion providing the backdrop, it probably wouldn't surprise you to hear that Kenny found the inspiration for "When The Sun Goes Down" during a trip to the Caribbean after wrapping up his "Margaritas `n' Senoritas" tour. He explains, "One day I got up and went out into the middle of the water, and listened to `No Shoes' all the way through and just took it in. I knew that guy who made that record – and the person I've evolved into since. I knew then what we had to do with [this album] was paint the picture of where I am now." · For Kenny, that "picture" includes getting real with his past. He offers, "I'm not running any more – I'm taking life as it comes. I'm happier than I've ever been, and I'm more creative and learning how to write better songs." Kenny adds that having fun is also a crucial part of the mix and adds, "We've had a lot of fun over the past year. I think `When The Sun Goes Down captures' both sides of me, that way." Among those tracks are four songs written by Kenny – and all appear to offer a deep look into the man himself. For example, there's the rousing tune, "Keg In The Closet," and the reflective "Old Blue Chair." Kenny also offers a classic country waltz with "Being Drunk's A Lot Like Loving You" and the spirited "I Go Back." · Of course, ramping up for a new album release isn't all Kenny's been up to these days. Tonight he'll screen his new DVD, "Roadcase: Behind The Scenes On The Margaritas 'n' Senoritas Tour," in Nashville for friends, family and folks associated with the project. Then, Kenny will be strapping on his snow shoes and climbing into his long johns for a trip to Minneapolis for an appearance at the Mall of America on Friday, in support of his album, "All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan." -- LadyRedCyn for WestWood 1 posted: 12/03/2003 [http://www.kennychesney.com/index.htm?inc=news&nws_id=2677]

CHESNEY HOLIDAY COLLECTION COLLECTS GOLD CERTIFICATE Kenny Chesney's All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan has been certified gold, marking sales of over 500,000. Chesney's Christmas record is a mix of special guests, traditional country and a bit of the Carribbean mixed up as only the island-hopping country star can. "Wrap THAT up, We'll take it," said a gleeful Chesney. "And what makes this the coolest thing ever for my Christmas is knowing that for my Mom and my Aunt -- known to all the people of Eastern Tennessee as the Grigsby Twins, Sharon'n'Karen from their days singing wherever Grandpa'd haul 'em -- sang on their first ever gold record, which is also the first record they ever sang on! That makes me so proud and happy and tickled for them, I can't stand it. Actually, I might just be more excited for them than I am for me!! [http://www.countrystars.com/news/haislop/n-update.html

Guitars, Tiki Bars + A Whole Lotta Love Kenny Chesney Packs His Pukkas & Hits the Road When The Sun Goes Down Nashville, TN: The leaks had started a couple weeks prior… who was going out, where it was going to play… And as the year winds down and "There Goes My Life," the lead single from Kenny Chesney's eagerly anticipated When The Sun Goes Down, hits #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart after a mere 9 weeks, the reigning Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist is already getting started on next year's tour. "I remember when we'd come into towns on show day and it seemed like nobody cared or wanted to know," says the man whose No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems is approaching quadruple platinum, chuckling about the curiousity over his impending tour. "When someone told me that who was touring with us was out there without us telling people, folks telling me about dates in their city or the rest of the talk that was swirling around about this tour, well, it kinda made me laugh … 'cause like I said, I absolutely remember when nobody cared that we were there, let alone coming!" For the record, this year's tour -- in support of When The Sun Goes Down, which hits stores Feb. 3 -- is the aptly-named Guitars, Tiki Bars + Whole Lotta Love Tour. The Margaritas will be of the greenest hue at kick-off, as the tour will have its first play and celebrate St. Patriuck's Day at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo on March 17. From there, Guitars, Tiki Bars + A Whole Lotta Love swings through Lafayette, Louisiana, Tupelo, Mississippi and onto Biloxi, Mississippi for its opening weekend. "We're waist deep in set designs, editing the videos for the screen, getting the lights figured out," says the very hands on man, who's Margaritas'n'Senoritas was the #3 total ticket-selling tour of the year behind Bruce Springsteen and the Dave Matthews Band according to Pollstar, of what to expect for '04. "It's gonna be great to get some new music to pick from -- and this record really suits what we're trying to do live. So aside from some well-chosen surprises, people can expect the songs they love and some songs I know they're going to. "Talking with the band guys about which new songs we want to work up, it's been pretty crazy. Usually there are two or maybe three that everyone goes, 'Yeah, we should do these…' This year, everybody's got 5 or 6 they think are definites -- and that's 'cause they're gonna be so much fun to play. If people like what we do musically, then they're gonna LOVE this tour 'cause we got the songs and then some!" Returning to the first half of the tour will be Margaritas' tourmate keith urban, who spent last summer on the road with Chesney and Deana Carter. And kicking the evening's entertainment off will be Dierks Bentley, who's currently gearing up for a string of dates with George Strait. "We try to find acts to come out with us who know how to have fun - and get the crowd up and rocking. You know when I go to a show, I wanna have a good time and forget about whatever happened that day. It's the chance to just party and be with your friends, sing some songs, maybe scream a little bit. I think this package can more than make that happen." As All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan turns gold for sales in excess of 500,000, "There Goes My Life" goes to #1 for a long winter's stay and a trip to Washington, DC for TNT's "Christmas in Washington," Chesney's in a good place to close out his year. With tour logistics coming together, a new album in the chute on which he wrote four of the 11 songs and a few surprises up his sleeve, Kenny Chesney knows what he wants -- and it's pretty simple stuff: guitars, tiki bars + a whole lotta love. [http://www.kennychesney.com/index.htm? inc=news&nws_id=2718&CID=aeba7bb77be404112726918c95ec73c0]

"There Goes My Life" Goes To #1 in Nine Weeks For Immediate Release 9 December 2003 For More Information Holly Gleason for Joe's Garage (615)-269-3238 Wes Vause for BNA Nashville (615)-301-4300 "There Goes My Life" Goes To #1 in Nine Weeks Lead Kenny Chesney Single Scores National Fatherhood Initiative Award Nomination Nashville, TN: When Kenny Chesney released "There Goes My Life," the Wendell Mosley/Neil Thrasher song about the turns a life can take and the unseen blessings we receive in shattered moments that demonstrated Chesney's deep tenderness and his willingness to sing about the kind of life his fans live, there was an excitement level based on it being the first single from his eagerly anticipated When The Sun Goes Down. After just 9 weeks "There Goes My Life" settles in for what will no doubt be a long winter's nap at the top of Billboard 's Country Singles chart. "This is the kind of song anyone can relate to -- whether they're leaving home, letting someone go or having their best intentions turned over by life," Chesney says. "When we recorded it, we knew people would see themselves in it, but none of us had any idea it would fly up the charts quite like this." Moving even faster than "Young," the lead single from his nearly quadruple platinum No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems, "There Goes My Life" has also caught the ears of the National Fatherhood Initiative, who've singled the Luttrell, Tennessee-based singer/songwriter out as a nominee for their 2004 Fatherhood Award. Though Chesney -- who is single -- is without children, the non-profit organization dedicated to promoting "involved, responsible and committed fatherhood" recognize the impact of the song. "When you produce a song about the emotions a father goes through, it sends a message to the nation about the important role a dad can have in the life of his children," says NFI President Roland C. Warren of Chesney's single. "His commitment to the institution of responsible fatherhood offers a society a standard to emulate as we work to ensure every child grows up with love, nurturance and the guidance of their father." Chesney admits the acknowledgement comes from left field. "Obviously, this is something I can only know from watching my friends with their families. But it's one of the richest, most rewarding things that I see my friends who have children have in their lives… This song was picked because I could see all of them in it, and we did it because it was something we all felt. I didn't do this for any kind of recognition, but it's a great feeling to know that it's touched people on this level." With All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan already certified gold weeks before Christmas, finding himself behind Bruce Springsteen and Dave Matthews on Pollstar's Top Total Ticket Sellers and a #1 single with "There Goes My Life," there's very little the reigning Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist and Single of the Year Award winner could possibly want Santa to leave under the tree. Heading to Washington, DC this weekend, where he will sing "All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan" for President Bush as part of TNT's "Christmas In Washington" special, broadcast December 15, it won't be long 'til the kicked back cowboy heads back to the Caribbean for what's left of his holiday break. Because when Feb 3 rolls around and When The Sun Goes Down hits the street, you know Kenny Chesney - the pride of East Tennessee -- will be back at it full-tilt. ############## [http://www.rcalabelgroup.com/Press_Releases/Press_Archives/kc_121003. doc]

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This is a fan site dedicated to country music star Kenny Chesney with news articles obtained from sites such as : Kenny's Official Site,BNA Records,CMT.com,Launch.com,Yahoo! News,Country Weekly.com,Tennessean.com,CDnow.com,knoxnews.com,Countrystars.com,etc.We have obtained these news articles in one place for easier viewing for the fans.No Copyright infringement is intended.We are not affiliated with any sites listed above, Kenny Chesney or Kenny Chesney.com in any way.

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