Digital Rodeo

Fans of Kenny Chesney's live shows are familiar with his song, "Back Where I Come From," written by Mississippi songwriter Mac MacAnally. It's a mainstay in Kenny's live shows, in spite of never being a single. The song first appeared on Kenny's 1996 CD Me And You.

"Mac is just one of those writers every writer wishes they could be," says Kenny, who will release his new CD, Lucky Old Sun, on Oct. 14. "He is so smooth and so real. He uses very few words, but they're always just the right ones... and he draws you into the moments and places he's singing about. For us, 'Back Where I Come From' is a song that everyone who comes to see us sees as their own - and with good reason."

For Kenny's upcoming album, he takes that respect a step further: he's invited MacAnally to duet on the yearning values of "Down The Road." The song - which is a departure from the rest of the project's ocean feel - still fits Sun's overall atmosphere.

"This is one of those songs I've loved forever - and that really says everything about what we fall in love with, what we value... the things that matter, especially when building a future," Kenny says. "Mac told me he wrote it one Christmas morning, waiting for his kids to wake up and open their presents and you can tell that's the kind of heart he writes with."

Kenny's not only paired with Mac — he's also teamed up with GAC for an upcoming special. Tune in October 13 at 10 p.m. ET to see the premiere of the GAC special, Kenny Chesney: Lucky Old Sun. In the special, Kenny talks about the new record and gives GAC viewers a personal tour through the islands of the Bahamas.

Kenny's new album has given him the opportunity to work with a lot of the artists he reveres. Starting with a duet on the title track with Willie Nelson, this has evolved into a record that demonstrates not just where the laidback musician has been, but what he's come to realize along the way.

With "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" burning up the country charts, Kenny found a way to merge his trademark Calypso-leaning country with the opportunity to collaborate with Bob Marley's band the Wailers. Not only does the legendary reggae band appear on the album, they are featured as Kenny's band in the clip.

"The beauty of artists like Mac, and Willie, and the Wailers - they all make their very own kind of music," says Kenny. "They all have a very definite way they do things... and yet it's not any one thing. All of their music draws you in; it brings people together from very different places. "To me, the opportunity to not just work with them, but to bring them together on my album says a lot about what music can do... the way it blurs lines and gives people a reason to come together. You know, that's been the best thing about this for me: the number of people who've come out every summer to party with us, to sing these songs. That is a wonderful thing to experience."

Lucky Old Sun hits stores Oct. 14. Look for Kenny, who leads the CMA with seven nominations including Entertainer of the Year, on the CMA Awards Nov. 12th on ABC.

Kenny Teams with Songwriter Pal & GAC for New CD

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