In this issue (August 8)
1. Kenny talks about his music
2. Singing at the Ole Ball Game
3. Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven airs
4. Kenny and Milsap at the Nashville fundraiser
5. The No Shoes channel is now available on XM Satellite Radio
6. “NOW That’s What I Call Country” will be released on August 26, 2008
7. Kenny will perform at Farm Aid on September 20, 2008
8. “Lucky Old Sun” is Kenny’s next album
9. Bob Marley’s “The Wailers” will appear in Kenny’s video
10. No “cat in the hat” for Kenny
Hello friends;
1. In a recent interview from his tour bus, Kenny had this to say about his music.
“I don’t think it’s what some of the more traditionalists would call three chords and the truth. The songs I sing tell stories. I think they’re about real life. I think I hope they remind people of their first date, the first kiss , the first time they fell in love, the first time they had their hearts broken. People have told me that.”
He went on to say; “I recognize the fact that when we put on a live show, that’s my main focus. Maybe our show is not as traditional as other artists in this format, but I think that’s a good thing. Our show is really cutting edge. I cut my music that way. I think the stories are country. I think the way I sing them is country. But I like to make music in a live show that will make people realize they’ve been to a concert.” .
2. After singing “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” recently at Chicago’s Wrigley Field during the seventh inning, Kenny took time out of his busy schedule to fly to the White House. Running for office? No, to lend his talent to sing “The National Anthem” for the Baseball Hall of Fame T-Ball Game. Kenny likened his tour to something a lot like baseball.
“I always say that my boys and I are very much like a baseball team, 6 months in, 6 months off… because it’s a long season and you start preparing much earlier. It’s also fun, we have made a lot of friends in many teams over the years, because I think they can feel that in us. We have a lot of players who come to our shows when they’re not on tour, some even come and sing with us. It’s pretty amazing.”
Kenny also played a 20 minute acoustic set as part of the dinner.
3. Well, we got a taste of Kenny’s upcoming album when Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven finally aired on August 10, 2008.
Kenny said, “Everything in that song is everything we all thought. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t want to go to heaven, but nobody wants to go today. If you could choose, you wouldn’t choose right now.” You want to live, do more things, have more fun.”
That song, by the way, was passed over by George Strait. He felt it didn’t really fit his Troubadour album, so he called Kenny and they got together to listen to it. Kenny jumped at the opportunity to record the song.
4. Kenny will join Ronnie Milsap next Tuesday, August 26 in Nashville to play a fundraiser honoring Nashville’s most famous musical family, the Bradley family. The Bradley family will receive the Dale Franklin Leadership Award for their contributions to the Nashville music scene. Owen Bradley was one of Nashville’s most famous record producers and his brother Harold was a session musician who opened the first recording studio on Music Row. The Dale Franklin Award recognizes music industry leaders who lead by example.
5. Kenny’s new XM Radio channel 18 is available now, starting July 26, 2008, and will have a 2-month trial. Loads of hits and audio tracks you’ve probably never heard before. So if you’re surfing and you have XM, tune in and listen.
6. Look for the new album “NOW That’s What I Call Country” which will be released next Tuesday August 26, 2008. Here is the track list of all the title songs that will appear on the album.
1. CARRIE UNDERWOOD “All-American Girl”
2. RASCAL FATTS “Winner in a losing game”
3. GARY ALLAN “Watching Planes”
4. Duet by REBA McCENTIRE with KELLY CLARKSON “For You”
5. KEITH URBAN “Everyone”
6. SUGARLAND “Stay”
7. LADY ANTEBELLUM “Love does not live here”
8. TAYLOR SWIFT “Image to record”
9. DIERKS BENTLEY “Trying to keep you from leaving”
10. LUKE BRYAN “All my friends say”
11. BRAD PAISLEY “Letter to Me”
12. GEORGE STRAIT “Today I saw God”
13. JULIANNE HOUGH “That song in my head”
14. SARA EVANS “As If”
15. KENNY CHESNEY “Don’t Blink”
16. TRACE ADKINS “You’re going to miss this”
17. CHRIS CAGLE “How Little Gone”
18. KELLIE PICKLER “Things that never cross a man’s mind”
19. JOSH TURNER with TRISHA YEARWOOD “Another Try”
20. JASON MICHAEL CARROLL “Alyssa Lies”
Some great tunes on this one.
7. Well, if you’re anywhere near Mansfield Mass on September 20, maybe you should consider a plan to attend Farm Aid. This event is held annually through the great efforts of Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and Neil Young. Kenny played Farm Aid once before in 2005. He says:
“American family farmers are what this country was built on. They fed us and kept us strong and healthy for how many generations? Growing up in a small town outside of Knoxville, it was a big part of who we were, and it’s something that I shouldn’t lose. If I can help be a part of that, whether it’s to raise money, raise awareness, or just let those family farmers know that someone knows and cares, well, that’s why I’m coming to Boston. It’s a small thing , but a big problem.”
8 We know that the name of Kenny’s next album will be titled “Lucky Old Sun”, and it will be the first and only album so far on Kenny’s own record label titled “Blue Chair”. I’m still not sure when the next album will be released, but they are working on it. Did you know Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland is dating Clayton Mitchell, Kenny’s player? Well, you already do now!
9. When the video for “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” comes out, look for Bob Marley’s “The Wailers” in the video. “They were very generous with us in terms of their time and the stories they told us,” Kenny said. “We sat down on the beach one night and they shared the whole history of the band, the struggles they had. I was able to interview them for something we could do later. Those guys are a big part of the story, whether people realize it “. or not. The music they participated in is so universal. No matter where you go, you can hear the Wailers coming out of some club, store, car, or boat, and they are so humble about everything they do. I’ve been a part of.”
10. I’m not sure if you knew this, but Kenny is a reader. And he credits Ernest Hemingway for his love of books. He says that he loved “The Old Man and the Sea” because it reminds him of his relationship with his grandfather. That little book about a battle between an old fisherman and a big marlin is the book that got Kenny hooked.
