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Kenny Chesney Sets A Record in Pittsburgh

Kenny Chesney’s “Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour” set an attendance record on Saturday night (6/1) at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium. The high-energy performer’s 12th appearance at the iconic football stadium was…

Kenny Chesney slid on stage in a cowboy hat and a red t-shirt.
CHristopher Polk/Getty Images

Kenny Chesney's "Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour" set an attendance record on Saturday night (6/1) at Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium. The high-energy performer's 12th appearance at the iconic football stadium was one for the books, with 60,126 screaming fans in attendance.

With the stage pushed all the way back to the end zone wall to allow for more seats on the floor, No Shoes Nation was on its feet and singing the songs they loved.

Kenny said after the show, "They call it Steel Town for a reason. They came to see with a purpose! Those hearts are so strong and true: you could hear it when they sang, and looking out, you could see it in the way they waved their arms side-to-side. "

He continued, "They were on their feet and had their hands in the air the entire show. I knew I was going to do 'There Goes My Life' when I woke up, but seeing the entire stadium lit up with their lights? It's one of the most beautiful memories of my life."

Chesney added, "When you hear how much No Shoes Nation brings to these songs when they're singing them with us, it almost makes me stop in my tracks. They've been rocking since noon; you'd expect them to be worn out, but I can hear the caring, the investment in everything we're playing. These aren't just hits; it feels like they're sharing their lives with us, too."

The country superstar concluded, "Build it with friendship and love, and something really special happens. The band is white hot and so tight, you can feel how much fun they're having with every solo and jam – and the audience picks up on that! It was an undeniably incredible night."

Chesney is deep into his "Sun Goes Down Tour" with Zac Brown Band, Uncle Kracker, and recent ACM New Artist winner Megan Moroney. He plays stadiums throughout the summer.

Kenny told us recently that the life that keeps him on the road can add layers to his personality, as complicated as that can make things. But he still frequently reverts to that kid from East Tennessee.

Chesney said, "I think that when you travel as much as we've traveled and you have all these life experiences on the road for all these years, you become more complicated because you see a lot of things…"

He added, "But then again, I think that for me and the way I grew up, I'm very simple all at the same time."

Upcoming "Sun Goes Down Tour" Dates:

June 6 Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio || Blossom Music Center
June 8 Philadelphia, Pa. || Lincoln Financial Field (SOLD OUT)
More tickets available
June 13 Maryland Heights, Mo. || Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre^
June 15 Chicago, Ill. || Soldier Field
June 20 Noblesville, Ind. || Ruoff Music Center^
June 22 Milwaukee, Wisc. || American Family Field
June 27 Darien Center, N.Y. || Darien Lake Amphitheater^
June 29 Cincinnati, Ohio || TQL Stadium*

Kenny Chesney's best music videos have won awards and entertained country fans for over twenty years. Kenny just released his new album, Born, as he celebrates his 56th birthday today (3/26). He told us of the new project, "My new album, Born, has been about…almost three years in the making."

Mundane Existence

He continued, "Without even knowing it, there is a thread of breaking out of the mundane existence in our lives, you know, all these the same neural pathways we travel. Whether it's the same road to work or the same way we do certain things – you know that can create this mundane existence, and when I first cut the song 'Born,' the title track, I thought about that."

Connection

He shared how he connected with people on the album, "There's a song on the record called 'Just To Say We Did' that is truly about just that. It's more about connection, actually, and that's also a big theme of this record. I just felt like those two songs kind of started down that path. By the time I was done with it, I had four or five songs that felt in that space, you know, of just human connection, living your life to the fullest and breaking out of your mundane existence."

Didn't See Album Coming

Chesney also told us that he didn't see the new album coming. He spent the time since the world shut down playing music with friends, writing, listening to songs he loved, and recording when the moment struck with longtime collaborator Buddy Cannon.

He noted, "I can't call it a 'process' because we never set out to make a record, just explore songs and moments for the sake of music. All of a sudden, time had passed, and somehow, we had all these songs that looked like different pieces of who I – and just about everyone in No Shoes Nation, too – am."

No Master Plan

Chesney continued, "It wasn't a master plan. There was no theme we were singing about that held it together. But if you listen to all 15 songs, you'll get the high-energy fun, chasing adventures, don't let people get you down, and you'll get the more reflective thinking about someone who's died, the person you know you shouldn't call emotions that have always been in the music, too."

Best Music Videos

Throughout his twenty-plus career in country music, Chesney has always tried to make his music videos epic, like mini moves. As we celebrate Kenny's 56th birthday today (3/26), we take a look at five of his best music videos.

"Come Over" (2012)

This song was co-written by Sam Hunt before he broke as an artist. It was released in May 2012 as the second single from Kenny's 2012 album Welcome to the Fishbowl.

The music video was filmed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with some ocean scenes near Miami Beach, Florida. Chesney has described the music video as a "classy booty call." It is entirely black-and-white and features a cameo from his dog, Poncho, standing on a paddleboard alongside Chesney.

"Young" (2001)

Kenny's "Young" video won the very first CMT Music Awards Video of the Year honor in 2002. The video also won in the Male Video of the Year category. The song was released as the lead single from Chesney's 2002 album No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems. The song peaked at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and at number 35 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

The video was filmed in Sanford, Florida, at the old bridge over the St. Johns River and on the banks of the river.

"Who You'd Be Today" (2005)

This music video is like a mini-movie. It starts off with two teenage boys in a basketball practice and then cuts to Chesney's performance. Throughout the video, friends and couples are seen speaking to each other about life moments and tragedy. This creative video won the Male Video of The Year at CMT Music Awards.

The song was the first single from Kenny's 2005 album The Road and the Radio.

"You Save Me" (2006)

This music video won Male Video of The Year at the CMT Music Awards in 2007. The video took a total of 7 days to shoot and was filmed in Mexico City. The video begins with Chesney as a member of the police department, traveling to a criminal spot in Mexico with three local police agents, presumably to make a raid. During the car ride, Chesney thinks back on his time with a girl he met and fell in love with in Mexico and her attempts to persuade him not to go with them.

The video is over eight minutes long, with Kenny playing his part as the cop along with his Mexican counterparts.

"Setting The Word On Fire" featuring Pink (2016)

"Setting the World on Fire" debuted at number 26 on the Australian Singles Chart, becoming Kenny's first ever song to chart in Australia. In the U.S. and on the Country Airplay chart, it debuted at number 22 and has reached number one. The song also debuted at number 35 on the Adult Pop Songs chart for the week of October 8, 2016, and was his first entry on the chart.

Neither Chesney nor Pink is featured in the music video, except for various posters and billboards displaying the collaboration. The black-and-white video tells the story of two young lovers who move to Los Angeles and have a romantic encounter, as described in the song's lyrics. It was filmed around Los Angeles and Riverside, California.

Nancy Brooks has been working in the country music industry for almost 30 years. She has interviewed pretty much any country star you can think of. In the late 1990s, she started working with Dolly Parton. And yes, Nancy reports that Parton is as sweet as you would think. She loves her life in country music and has been backstage at every CMA Awards show since the late 1990s. Many of her stories are from her one-on-one interviews. She was there at the beginning of the incredible careers of many music superstars today, including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton, and has interviewed them multiple times throughout the years.