Never one to miss an opportunity to sling positive vibes and good energy, Kenny Chesney dropped Silver Sands Marina – and threw an album release party that saw an intimate crowd pack the Pinnacle for a full-band show that showcased six of the album’s 11 songs. Broadcast live on No Shoes Radio, the night celebrated his 21st album, but also the community of people who find their inspiration, joy and clarity in his songs.
“Three years in the making,” Chesney offered, “a lot of songs listened to, even recorded, to get to this moment, these stories and emotions, and I wanted to give it all directly to the people who’ve loved and lived this music with me. There is so much good happening, we should all experience it together. Man, did we! And it’s awesome to hear the reactions people are having…”
As “Carry On” goes to the top of the Country Aircheck/Mediabase Country chart for his 37th No. 1, the East Tennessee songwriter-superstar lands yet another first. “Remember Me That Way,” the surging song of deciding to own the thrills and magic of a relationship instead of the raging final moments, crowned the No. 1 as the No. 1 Most Added Song this week. Beyond the airplay No. 1, Chesney’s latest marks the first time Chesney had both distinctions at the same time.
“Carry On,” Chesney’s 100th charting single, became the first indie and only the third single to close the entire radio panel in its first week. As Chesney’s 62nd Top 10 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, it set a second record for the most country Top 10s.
“When they tell me this stuff, it’s a lot to take in,” Chesney says. “It gets harder the more you do this to find songs that stand out from what you’ve done, that say things you want to say – and you think other people will find themselves in, too. That’s really the point: the connection. Like my tours, I want this music to bring people together, to lift them up.”
With the move to HEY NOW Records, Chesney is finding new ways to connect with people – and expand how people explore and understand his music. With his first Talk Shop Live conversation viewed over 366,000 times and his new one topping 100,000, independent records stores across the country, including Austin’s Waterloo Records, Raleigh’s Schoolkids Records, Chicago’s Reckless Records, Minneapolis’ Electric Fetus, Oakland’s 1-2-3-4 Go!, Phoenix’s Stinkweeds and Nashville’s Grimey’s are hosting listening parties this week.
With another pair of No. 1s, the Pinnacle pop-up show served as a witness to Chesney’s enduring power. As Billboard reported, the show served as “a potent reminder that he’s an unyielding seeker of impactful songs in all their forms, not just breezy anthems.”
Less than 40 hours after releasing “Remember Me That Way,” the packed floor and wrap-around balconies were screaming along to the chorus. Whether releasing the past or just loving redirecting the angst, “Remember Me” seems to be the best of both worlds. By summer’s stadium-only Original Vibe Room Tour, the song should be a full-blown catharsis.
