Kenny Chesney is one of the biggest tour attractions in country music. His loyal fan base, affectionately called the No Shoes Nation, has exponentially grown throughout his decades-long career, bringing his shows to at-capacity standards every year.
According to Pollstar, Chesney’s 2022 Hear and Now Tour raked in $135 million, becoming the highest-grossing tour of that year. He continues to break his own records, playing at venues, stadiums, and large arenas.
In fact, stadiums such as Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, and Ford Field in Detroit are just some of the places that saw Chesney previously breaking his own attendance record.
With that, one might beg the question, Would Kenny Chesney ever headline a Super Bowl Halftime Show?
The “Beer With My Friends” singer, 55, answered that question during a sit-down interview with Kiss Country’s 99.9’s TC & Dina B at Tortuga Music Festival in Florida. And, while he expressed some hesitation – and previously ruled the idea out – he said performing as the entertainment for a Super Bowl in the future isn’t necessarily out of the question.
“I’m not saying I wouldn’t ever do it,” Chesney, an avid football fan himself, said. “If I was asked. It would be a hard decision.”
Chesney’s hesitation comes with the thought of weighing the pros and cons of the subject.
“There’s no reason, especially now, with all the social media-driven stuff, I’m not saying if I was asked to do the Super Bowl that I would say, ‘no.’ I would probably say, ‘Yes.’ But I still feel like it’s the kiss of death,” he shared, earning laughs from TC & Dina B.
“Career-wise It Might Be Great, But I Don’t Know”
Chesney is also known for his laid-back beach style, and he admits that if he was to choose between being a part of the big night’s presentation or enjoying the game, he’d likely choose the latter.
“I know career-wise it might be great, but I don’t know,” he questioned. “If I’ve got the choice to have all that stress leading up to it or sit in the suite with my Dad and have a beer and watch the game, I’m probably going to do that.”
“Springsteen did it and did great! But they slammed him,” he also reasoned of the aftermath many artists face after giving it their all in front of live television and on one of the biggest stages in the world. “I mean, they slam everybody. I don’t know if I’d rather just sit in a suite, do beers and watch the game.”
In Super Bowl history, country artists have long played a role in the halftime show lineup. Among some of the artists who have shown off their talents during game day include Shania Twain, Doug Kershaw, Clint Black, The Judds, Tanya Tucker, and Travis Tritt. Charlie Pride, Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Chris Stapleton have performed the national anthem.
Working On His Forthcoming New Album
Super Bowl aside, Chesney has been busy working on his next album, and according to Audacy, he says the forthcoming project is going to be a labor of love.
“The one thing I can say about it [new music] is it’s still in motion. People ask me when it’s going to come out, and the best answer I have is, ‘When it’s done,’” Chesney shared while discussing the highly-anticipated album. “It’s easy to rush it, and it’s easy to put music out when people think it might be time, but I think I’ve earned the right to get it right. I mean, I love it now, but I want to be in love.”
“Lucky for me, I don’t have a lot of ‘yes,’ people in my camp. And that’s really important. I have a lot of people within my circle, within my camp that have really good song sense. It all starts with my producer Buddy Cannon. I can’t get anything past him. I’ve been blessed that way,” he continued. “Honestly, my family in East Tennessee, they are our audience, they really are. When I’m home for Christmas or Thanksgiving, they’ll tell me everybody they love. They’ll tell me what they hate. All the new artists, all the songs they love.”
Additionally, Kenny Chesney is on the road as part of his I Go Back Tour, which launched on March 23 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Chesney’s I Go Back Tour, which features Kelsea Ballerini as direct support, wraps up on May 27 in Orange Beach, AL.
