Kenny Chesney has another hit single, out now, with “Just To Say We Did.” The song, the second release from his latest BORN album, is one of the most relatable and personal songs he has ever recorded in his 30-plus year career.
“There’s a lot of music on this record that holds a significance for me or they wouldn’t have made the record,” Chesney tells his record label. “I think the most authentic one for me is ‘Just To Say We Did.’ It truly is a part of my DNA, my life experiences, but it doesn’t have to be the experiences that we describe in the song. It can be anything you do with friends, with family — whatever it is to create connection and the intimate details that later in life that you’re going to look back on.”
It was Chesney’s fans on his Sun Goes Down Tour who helped him decide to make “Just To Say We Did” his second single from BORN, after “Take Her Home” became his 33rd No. 1 hit.
“Everywhere we went, everyone was asking for the same song,” Chesney says. “Everybody wanted us to release ‘Just To Say We Did.’ It was insane how almost unanimous it was, but it’s also pretty much a perfect summer song. I mean, if there’s ever a time when you’re gonna get out of your comfort zone, do something crazy or unthinkable, it’s now.
“And the thing I loved about the song when we were putting BORN together was that idea of ‘shoot your shot!’ Whatever it is, forget the excuses – just do it!” he continues. “Don’t look down, don’t look back! Just jump into the moment and ride it for all it’s worth.”
The 56-year-old is having a lot of fun on the road this summer, playing in stadiums all over the country, joined by Zac Brown Band, Megan Moroney and Uncle Kracker.
“One of the things I’m very proud of on the road is that we’ve got a — I’m very thankful for this –is that we’ve got a catalog of music that spans over a lot of years,” Chesney boasts. “We’re able to be in the moment, take songs out of the set or add them into the set. I have this thing called a 911 mic where I can hit a button, and I can do an audible in the middle of the previous song. And say, ‘Hey, we’re gonna skip this next song, and we’re gonna put another song in.’”
Chesney has also, fortunately, learned what does and doesn’t work, whether it’s in a massive venue or a more intimate show.
“I’ve always been very particular, if that’s the right word,” Chesney tells CBS News. “I’m particular about how I like things. I’m particular about how that stage looks. People ask me a lot, they go, ‘How do you do this every night on stage? How are you so detail-oriented in the middle of all of it?’ and ‘How you keep going like this?’”
Find “Just To Say We Did” and all of Chesney’s music and upcoming shows at KennyChesney.com.