Born on This Day in 1965, the Son of an NFL General Manager Who Went on To Write Some of Your Favorite Country Songs of All Time

On December 2, 1965, country songwriter Casey Beathard was born in Torrance, California, but raised in Vienna, Virginia. The son of the NFL’s former manager, Bobby Beathard, Casey Beathard realized early on that he wanted to pursue songwriting, not sports.

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In 1991, Beathard moved to Nashville. Seven years later, in 1998, he scored his first cut as a songwriter, thanks to Kenny Chesney. Beathard wrote “I Will Stand” with Mark Germino. The song became the title track of Chesney’s fourth studio album. Four years later, in 2002, Beathard scored his first No. 1 hit, with Tracy Byrd’s “Ten Rounds With José Cuervo”.

Once Beathard began having hits, his success as a songwriter continued. He also had songs recorded by Eric Church, Gary Allan, Billy Currington, Travis Tritt, and George Strait, among others.

Among Beathard’s numerous No. 1 singles are “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” by Tracy Lawrence, “Don’t Blink” by Chesney, and Darius Rucker’s “Come Back Song“.

The Story Behind Kenny Chesney’s “No Shoes, No Shirt No Problem”, Written by Casey Beathard

One of Beathard’s biggest hits is “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem“. Released by Chesney in 2003 and written solely by Beathard, the song was not only a massive single for Chesney, but it became an entire lifestyle brand for the singer.

Beathard was still working on the song when he played it for his publisher, Clay Bradley. When Chesney walked into the office a few days later, Bradly persuaded Beathard to play him “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem”, even though the song wasn’t completed at the time.

“Kenny goes, ‘Man, that’s where I am right now in my life,’” Beathard recalls to The Tennessean, after only playing Chesney a verse and chorus. “I’ve been just really spending a lot of my time in the Virgin Islands, just getting away, and that’s me.’ He said, ‘Dude, you need to finish that song and get it to me.’”

Not only did Beathard get a hit single with Chesney with “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem”, but he also developed a deep respect for the singer.

“In a day where most people would say, ‘Let’s finish that song,’ he said, ‘Finish that song, and I’ll cut it,” Beathard remembers. “And I really appreciated him trusting me to not screw it up.”

Chesney’s entire brand is built on “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem”. He even named his fan club the No Shoes Nation, in homage to the song.

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