Kansas City, MO. (Top40 Charts/ BNA Records) - After seven years of touring to over a million fans each summer,
Kenny Chesney continues his instant sell-out momentum - moving 14,000 tickets in under 14 minutes in Kansas City . With sell-outs in Boston's Gillette Stadium (for the fifth year) and Philadelphia (for the third), his opening weekend double play in Connecticut and the opening series at Hard Rock Las Vegas' The Joint - along with the Killers,
Bon Jovi and Paul McCartney, people recognize in recessionary times that the 4-consecutive and reigning Academy of Country
Music and 4-time and current Country
Music Association Entertainer of the Year gives as good as he gets.
'You watch the news and you listen to people talk,' says the man from Luttrell, Tennessee, 'and you realize people are very concerned about every dollar they spend. There is no more disposable cash or mad money - and I'd like to think the people who've been coming to our shows know two things: I know how hard every dollar is earned and I want to live up to that - and for however long we get to share with the fans, I intend to make it the best night of their summer.
'When people come to see me, I want them to forget their problems, forget this economy, forget whatever it is for the night. I can't solve the problems, but I can give people a really good time To me, if you can feel better for a few hours, break the worry, well, that's a pretty big deal in times like these.'
Beyond being the biggest ticket seller of the 21st century, 'Down The Road,' his duet with Mississippi singer/songwriter Mac McAnally, followed the Calypso-tinged 'Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven' to become the high energy performer's second No 1 single from his introspective Lucky Old Sun. Like Be As You Are: Songs from an Old Blue Chair before it, his current project reflects the more pensive side of the man The Los Angeles Times called 'the Entertainer of the People.'
'We've started rehearsals already,' Chesney reports. 'Just when I'm not sure what it is we're gonna do to really make it something special - especially since we have been doing a few years now - my guys help me realize some crazy notion I've got that I'm sure is impossible. It's a funny thing, putting a set together, because you have so many songs people want to hear, only so long you can play and this rollercoaster ride you wanna put'em on!
'Obviously anyone who's ever seen us knows, we're not gonna have you sitting down very much, We may do a couple ballads 'cause there are songs people want to hear, but even with the uptempo stuff, there's a lot of ground to cover - and we're still making more music. But if the set list stays where it is right now, people are gonna get rocked! They're gonna see the best show we've ever done - and, well, even me and the band can't quite get over it when we're running through it.'
With more onsales during coming weeks, the Corona Extra presents Sun City Carnival promises to be everything people expect from Kenny Chesney - and more. Mixing NFL stadiums, outdoor amphitheatres, a few festivals and a bunch of arenas, every night will be different, but every night will be steeped with the good times, good vibes and rocking music that's made Kenny Chesney who he is.
