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Chesney bringing the beach to The Q
IF YOU GO
What: Kenny Chesney, with Jake Owen and Chase Rice
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland
When: 7 p.m. next Thursday
Info: $35 to $79; call 888-894-9424, or go to theQarena.com
By John Benson
When it comes to bro-country music, Nashville superstar Kenny Chesney is the king.
Billboard Magazine recently listed Chesney’s accomplishments, which are staggering. Not only has he sold close to 29 million albums, which is good for seventh in country music, but he’s sold 13 million concert tickets and brought in $750 million in concert revenue. The latter statistic makes him the top country-music touring artist, but fans of the genre already new that.
Currently supporting his 2014 album, “The Big Revival,” Chesney returns to Northeast Ohio for a show with Jake Owen and Chase Rice at Quicken Loans Arena next Thursday.
Here are 10 things you may not know about Chesney:
As a youngster growing up in Knoxville, Tenn., Chesney taught himself how to play guitar. After graduating in 1990 with a marketing degree from East Tennessee State University, Chesney moved to Nashville.
The country artist cites influences such as George Jones, Conway Twitty, Lynyrd Skynyrd and James Taylor.
Chesney’s first No. 1 single was 1997’s “She’s Got It All.” In his career, Chesney has 25 No. 1 hits.
Over the past decade, it’s been accolades galore for Chesney, who won four consecutive Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year awards from 2005 to 2008.
Chesney was briefly married to Renee Zellweger.
Confirming his beach and beer motif, Chesney’s fan club is called No Shoes Nation.
Chesney’s latest single, “Wild Child,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. This marks the first time since 2010’s “Hemingway’s Whiskey” that the superstar watched his first three singles top the charts – “American Kids,” “Til It’s Gone” and “Wild Child.” It’s also the first No. 1 for Grace Potter, who shared a Grammy Award-nomination with Chesney for “You & Tequila.”
Talk about being a road dog – Chesney recently reported his original touring bus just hit 1 million miles on the odometer.
Lately in concert, Chesney has been covering John Mellencamp’s “Hurts So Good” and Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69.”
At kennychesney.com, he gives fans insider access to his current tour with “No Shoes TV,” a quick-hit round-up of the best moments.