Kenny Chesney has been vocal about how impactful his mother and father have been throughout his career, and his new book, HEART*LIFE*MUSIC, serves as the perfect opportunity to shed light on how his parents shaped his musical upbringing.
During a new interview with Adriana Trigiani on the You Are What You Read podcast, Chesney shares the heartwarming story of the first time his mother even heard him sing.
For most of school journey, as the Knoxville native outlines in this conversation and in his book, Chesney was focussed on being an athlete, rather than on music – but this moment gave him a glimpse into what it would be like to perform for people.
Trigiani asks whether, given the fact that he was an active member of his local church, this was where he first sang by himself in front of a crowd, to which Chesney responds, “The first time was at school, actually. But I went to church and sang a lot in church, but not necessarily doing a solo in the middle of a service, or whatever – I never really did that. But in school, I was in a music program”.
The ‘Down the Road’ hitmaker endearingly recalls, “It was the first time my mom ever heard me sing, and she was so nervous because she goes, ‘You’re going to do what? You’re going to get up and sing in front of the student body and all their parents?’ And I went, ‘Yeah, I think so’. It was such a different thing for both of us. Because this was the first time…I forgot what I sang – I have no idea. But…I remember driving home with her and my stepfather, and they were stunned. And I was stunned! Because I’d never done it. I was like, ’Wow, that was kind of cool…’”.
He emphasises, though, that at that time, sports was still his priority, “But at that moment, I didn’t know that music was going to be my life at all. I wanted to do be an athlete, so I was playing sports all the time. Music was something that was way over here”.
Chesney echoes the warm sentiments he expressed in another recent interview, during which he championed his father, David, for giving him a great work ethic, and his mother, Karen, for radiating joy and optimism regardless of the troubles she faced.
Chesney touchingly mused, “My father gave me the love of sports, and I’m very grateful for that, and I think I got a lot of discipline from my father. The idea of that…work ethic…But I got work ethic from my mother, also. My mom gave me…I mean, she comes to shows and she acts like she’s never had a bad day in her life, which she has. But she chooses to have positive energy and give that to the world. When I’m on stage, and I’m going back and forth…and I’m out there connecting with an audience, I mean, that’s something that my mother gave me”.
With Chesney’s HEART*LIFE*MUSIC book tour now having drawn to a close in Key West, fans will continue to digest and dissect this fascinating body of work, which finds the country icon reflecting on his storied journey so far and offering fans an eclectic series of vibrant, variegated postcards from his globe-trotting adventures.
