Kenny Chesney‘s life has, truly, never been better. The 56-year-old is headlining his Sun Goes Down Tour, performing to sold-out crowds in massive stadiums each weekend. The success of the tours, and all of his previous ones, comes down to hard work, dedication, and Chesney’s own determination to give his fans a night they won’t ever forget, if only for a few hours.
“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?'”
More reserved off-stage than he is during his concerts, Chesney still feels very much himself when he is performing before a stadium full of fans, maybe even more.
“I truly love being that person up there,” Chesney admits. “I love it. And I love being in the moment with them. I love having just enough ego being up there to make the whole night happen.”
Among the many songs the Tennessee native performs is tracks from his just-released BORN album. His first record since Here and Now came out in 2020, Chesney is rightfully proud of the project he poured so much of himself into.
“I’m in a unique spot in my life and in my career, because I can’t necessarily sing about the things that I sang about even 10 years ago,” Chesney reflects. “I just feel like emotionally and mentally, I’m in a much different place.”
Included on BORN is “Wherever You Are Tonight,” a song about grief. For a singer who has created a lengthy career, spanning more than 30 years, by singing party songs and feel-good tunes, Chesney knows it was a bit of a departure for him, but one he felt was necessary to include on the album.
“In the last couple of years, there’ve been six people that I was really close to, that I can’t call anymore,” explains the singer. “So when I heard that song, I went, ‘Whoa, I know you’re in a different place.’ I’m talking to myself, right, ‘I know you are in a much different place cause you really want to record that song.'”
Few artists have sustained the level of success that Chesney has, or been able to maintain it for as long as Chesney. His good fortune, however well-earned, isn’t lost on him.
“If you’re lucky enough as an artist to get to a place in your life where you’re actually competing with yourself, then that’s a pretty good spot to be in,” he says. “You’re pretty lucky.”
Chesney currently has a Top 5 hit with “Take Her Home,” from BORN. He is joined on the road by Zac Brown Band, Megan Moroney and Uncle Kracker, all serving as his opening acts. The tour will conclude with three shows at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on August 23, 24 and 25. Find all of Chesney’s music and tour dates at KennyChesney.com.