“Look for the Sunshine”: Kenny Chesney Shares His Advice for Weathering Life's Storms with a Smile

Few artists are synonymous with a joyful, sun-soaked and energised way of life in the way that Kenny Chesney is, with the country music icon's dedicated No Shoes Nation fanbase striving to embody the carpe diem spirit that permeates his stellar discography.

After taking the Tiki Bar baton from Jimmy Buffett and adding his own rock-infused twist, Kenny Chesney's artistry quickly became about so much more than the music. In every corner of his catalogue - whether he's grieving the loss of a loved one on ‘Happy on the Hey Now (A Song for Kristi)’, ‘Wherever You Are Tonight’ and ‘Da Ruba Girl’, or raising up a glass of Blue Chair Bay Rum while floating blissfully out to shore on ‘Young’, ‘Blame It On The Salt’ and ‘Summertime’ - you'll find the same, underlying spirit of living every day as though it's your last.

On ‘Happy on the Hey Now’, for instance, the Knoxville native chooses to toast the moments he shared with his friend, rather than dwell on the pain of their absence. Similarly, on ‘Wherever You Are Tonight’, Chesney holds fast to the belief that the person he's lost is still present, in some shape or form, even if he can't see them anymore.

During his interview with Holler around the release of his evocative, vibrant latest album, BORN, Kenny Chesney shed some light on his refreshingly positive outlook.

Chesney reflected on the importance of viewing life as a beautiful, holistic tapestry of vivid colours, rather than focussing only on the dark blues or the cheery yellows.

He mused, “The truth is: that's everything life is, right? We all have trials, tough stuff, lose friends. We all have wins, great moments, crazy adventures. I think the reality is to feel all of it, to appreciate everything and to meet every experience where it is”.

Kenny Chesney cited the bittersweet closer for his 2020 record, Here and Now, ‘Guys Named Captain’, as epitomising this perspective. The intricate, piano-driven ballad, which was penned by James Slater as a tribute to his boat-adoring father, finds Chesney introducing you to an array of quirky, nautically-minded characters as he champions the way in which they all placed love at the heart of their existence.

Chesney outlined, “Some people might think my records have a split personality, but really, it's about how life actually is. The secret - and ‘Guys Named Captain’ is all about that - is to understand that no matter the low moments, look for the sunshine. Because that sunshine will pull you through, but also on a good day to dance in the sunshine, to take those moments for all their worth”.

It's a mentality born from Chesney's upbringing, with gratitude the lens through which he sees the world. Gratitude is often called ‘the world's most powerful drug’, with the habit of shifting your mindset to one of thankfulness shown to be a key tool for managing and overcoming debilitating feelings of anxiety and fear.

“Growing up the way I did in East Tennessee”, the ‘There Goes My Life’ crooner expanded, “I'm incredibly grateful for it: the sports, the friends, the family, the community. It was awesome, and I know there are all kinds of people in communities just like mine all over the country. Where they are is exactly where they want to be, and someone in New York and LA might not get it, or think it's the greatest way to live. But I know... the people of No Shoes Nation know... it doesn't have to be fancy, expensive or fast to feed your soul, to be fun or make you feel fulfilled”.

Chesney stressed, “When you learn that, when you stop chasing cars that don't matter and you recognize how awesome your roots are? What's not to be grateful about? When you appreciate something, no matter how small, it becomes that much more important. I've tried to record songs that really hone in on that idea”.

Kenny Chesney concludes with a powerful message to listeners, “To sing those kinds of things - whether sad, trying to figure something out or thrilled about what happened - is what being an artist is all about. Authenticity, honesty, digging deeper into the good and bad times? When you're clear about all that, you can find gratitude for every single moment. When you want what you have, that's everything”.

Whether you believe in manifestation, God or karma - or all three - we all experience those periods where, when we're feeling really grateful for something, more of it enters our life. No Shoes Nation has long used Chesney's catalogue as more than mere entertainment, rather, as a blueprint for living a full, sunshine-filled life.

There are nuggets of wisdom and positivity nestled into a plethora of Chesney songs, such as ‘Happy Does’, ‘This Too Shall Pass’, ‘Get Along’, ‘Til It's Gone’ and so many more.

With Kenny Chesney now honing his eagerly anticipated book with Holly Gleason, HEART*LIFE*MUSIC, which is set for a November 4th release, following his wildly popular Sphere Las Vegas residency, it looks like we have plenty more of Chesney's insightful, optimistic and glass-half-full philosophies to look forward to.

Read Kenny Chesney's full interview with Holler here.

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