Kenny Chesney is opening up about his recent inducttion into the Country Music Hall of Fame. For an artist who has already achieved far more than most artists, of any genre, being a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame will forever be one of the biggest highlgihts of his life and career.
“I have to tell you, walking into that rotunda, and they say your name over the speakers, ‘Country Music Hall of Famer Kenny Chesney,’ and every living member is in there, you get to a place where it hits you in that moment,” Chesney tells Audacy. “The gravity of that moment is truly unbelievable.”
Chesney sat for the ceremony between his parents, David Chesney and Karen Chandler, where he enjoyed tributes by Kelsea Ballerini, Megan Moroney, and Eric Church ahead of his speech.
“I sat beside my mother and father, which was a gift, to be at this place in my life and career and get inducted into the Hall of Fame and still have both them with us. I sat right beside them, and the whole ceremony, my mother was squeezing my hand really hard. I said, ‘Mom, you’ve got to let go a little bit,'” he recalls with a laugh.
“It was emotional,” Chesney continues. “It really was. It was to have all my friends there and the people that have been on this journey with me, and a lot of people — there’s been a lot of ups and downs over the years, and to be standing there in that spot, it was just so insane.”
Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
What Kenny Chesney Says About His Country Music Hall of Fame Induction
After his induction, Chesney shared his thoughts on the milestone accomplishment on social media.
“Being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame last night was the proudest moment of my life,” Chensey writes. “I am humbled and beyond grateful. The love I felt in the room was overwhelming. … The connection I share with my audience will forever be on display within the rotunda at the Country Music Hall of Fame. I am very proud of that. What an honor to also share this moment with June Carter Cash and Tony Brown. I am so grateful to be a part of such a small, exclusive group. Full of heroes and friends.”
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Kenny Chesney Speaks Out About ‘Heart Life Music’ Book
On November 4, Chesney’s long-awaited HEART*LIFE*MUSIC book will be released, covering his extraordinary life and career, from his early days as a boy in East Tennessee until now. But more than a list of his accomplishments, HEART*LIFE*MUSIC is in many ways a love letter to his fans, along with the people who work for him, helping make his dreams come true.
“I wanted to take a moment, before we move into the next phase, whatever that is, to pay tribute to them, and the life we’ve lived out on the road,” Chesney explains on CBS Sunday Morning. “It’s been beautiful.”