Kenny Chesney‘s 21st studio album, Silver Sands Marina, is out now. The record comes an astonishing 32 years after Chesney released his debut In My Wildest Dreams album.
Longevity like Chesney’s is rare, especially for an artist who is still consistently having hit after hit at radio. With more than three decades as one of country music’s biggest superstars, the 58-year-old is still, refreshingly, soaking it all in.
“That’s a lot of music made,” he says on Amazon Music‘s Country Heat Weekly podcast. “That’s a lot of songs listened to, a lot of songs written. But it’s still the thing in my life that makes me want to get out of bed, is creating. It’s one of the best gifts you can have. It really is, the gift of creativity. To create something that wasn’t here yesterday, and then have the platform to give it to the world is one of the most amazing gifts you can have as a human being.”
Chesney, who consistently sells out stadiums, also loves when he hears the audience sing his songs back to him.
“You hope they hear it,” he adds. “So when they do, and they sing it back to you, it’s pretty incredible.”
What Kenny Chesney Says About His ‘Silver Sands Marina’ Album
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Silver Sands Marina might be one of many, many records Chesney has released over the years. Still, he takes a lot of pride in all of the 11 songs on his latest project.
“You hope that the record you put out is a reflection, is a mirror for where you are in your life,” Chesney shares on the Today Show. “I feel like this record is. The thing that I love about it is, I was afforded the gift of time with this one. Usually when an artist has a record, they put it out, and it does well, the label wants another one. … in like a 12- or 18-month period. But I wasn’t on that treadmill.”
While on the Today Show, Chesney was asked what the main throughline of Silver Sands Marina was, which he immediately said was the feeling of joy.
“There are a lot of emotions on this record that make you feel really alive, and I’m very proud of that,” Chesney says. “That’s one thing that I try. When we’re up there on stage, sometimes I edit myself to a fault, because I’m constantly going, ‘If I record this song, is anybody out there going to care the way I think they’re going to care?’ Sometimes it’s to a fault. But being up there on stage, and seeing everybody up there, and seeing their eyes, and how they react to a certain song, you can’t help but edit yourself like that.
“So it took me a minute to get this there,” he adds. “But when I did, it was joy. And I think about the audience when I look at their faces every night when I’m out there, because it’s a real special thing to see.”
Chesney recently celebrated “Carry On” becoming his 37th No. 1 single. He will headline his Original Vibe Room Tour in 2027, joined by Eric Church and Sheryl Crow.