In 2021, Kenny Chesney joined Kelsea Ballerini on the hit single, “half of my hometown,” which became Ballerini’s seventh No. 1 hit. The two got to perform the song on his I Go Back Tour last year, which featured Ballerini as his opening act.
Although Ballerini isn’t on his Sun Goes Down Tour, which kicked off on April 20 and includes Zac Brown Band, Megan Moroney and Uncle Kracker as his opening acts, she did surprise fans by joining him in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the second show of the cross-country tour.
“People love a surprise,” Chesney said of being joined by Ballerini. “But even more they love great songs sung by people who really love each other and are great friends. Last week with Uncle Kracker, we felt it. Tonight, it was the same with Kelsea. Both guests tonight really seemed to hit No Shoes Nation in the heart.”
@staecee.esporo will never recover from kenny bringing out kelsea🥲 – – – #fyp #kelseaballerini #kennychesney #halfofmyhometown #charlottenc #whenthesungoesdown #concert #countrymusic #countryconcert #livemusic #music #foryou ♬ original sound – staecee
Chesney also spoke out about Ballerini joining him for the surprise collaboration on social media.
“Thank you to Kelsea Ballerini for making the stage a lot more beautiful last night in Charlotte, NC,” Chesney wrote. “What a surprise and what a moment for all of us. Love you, Kelsea.”
Thank you to @KelseaBallerini for making the stage a lot more beautiful last night in Charlotte, NC. What a suprise and what a moment for all of us. Love you, Kelsea. #SunGoesDownTour pic.twitter.com/ZNpoR03F3r
— Kenny Chesney (@kennychesney) April 28, 2024
Chesney, who opened the tour with a sold-out show in Tampa, Florida, was thrilled to perform at the Bank of America Stadium for the tour’s second night.
“Some nights, you can feel it before you ever start singing,” Chesney said. “Charlotte, North Carolina made their presence known from the moment they saw us. It was pandemonium, and they were not afraid to sing so loud we couldn’t hear ourselves at times.”
Chesney’s last stadium tour was in 2022, with his Here and Now Tour. Although his No Shoes Nation fan club was eager to have him back on tour, no one was more excited than Chesney to perform in stadiums again.
“It’s wonderful to walk out there and see those people truly care about the experience of it all, go through a lot be able to be in the audience today,” Chesney told Audacy’s Rob + Holly. “To be able to come to anybody’s show, you have to go through a lot to get there. And the fact that they care that much, makes us very happy. We’re getting ready to start that again … We’re going to go throughout the country and get to see their faces again. That’s always a great thing.”
Chesney’s Sun Goes Down Tour came shortly after the release of his BORN album, his first record since Here and Now was released in 2020.
“I can’t call it a process, because we never set out to make a record, just explore songs and moments for the sake of music,” Chesney said when BORN was released. “All of sudden, time had passed and somehow we had all these songs that looked like different pieces of who I – and just about everyone in No Shoes Nation, too – am.
“It wasn’t a master plan,” he continued. “There was no theme we’re singing about that holds it together. But if you listen to all 15 songs, you’ll get the high energy fun, chasing adventures, don’t let people get you down piece and you’ll get the more reflective thinking about someone who’s died, the person you know you shouldn’t call emotions that have always been in the music, too.”
Find all of Chesney’s music and tour dates at KennyChesney.com.
