Say It Ain’t So, Kenny Chesney

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Say It Ain’t So, Kenny Chesney

17 Sep 09

Kenny Chesney Sigh. It’s official. Next summer will suck.

I know we will still have baseball and barbecues and pool parties and all that. But how summery is summer going to feel without Kenny Chesney? Not very, I’m afraid.

He’s taking a break from his gigantic stadium shows to reconnect with family, make a record, see other parts of the world, write some more songs and just do things that feed his soul. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he talks about what pushed him over the edge to make this decision: “Last night in Charleston, S.C., my mom came, and a lot of my family came to the show. And after the show, I realized it’s been a long time since I’ve actually had a real conversation with any of those people. I am so zoned in and so gone all the time. That’s tough, when you’ve gotta get reconnected with the people that you’re not supposed to have to get reconnected to.”

All of this makes me want to jump in my convertible and go see his second to last show in Bloomington, Ill., tomorrow (Sept. 17). I feel like if I’d known that his show in Chicago this summer was going to be his last one for a while, I would have paid way more attention, had a few more beers, darkened my tan lines and tailgated longer.

Chesney shows have become such a summertime staple for millions of fans for the past five years or so. A staple that people didn’t just add to their schedules but literally scheduled their summers around. So this news is going to leave a lot of empty spaces on a lot of calendars across the country. He promises he’s not quitting, that this is just a short pause. Too long livin’ in fast forward, I guess. Now the hillbilly rock star needs to rewind real slow.