Kenny Chesney has a lot to celebrate at the 59th Annual CMA Awards. At the Nov. 19 ceremony, the four-time Entertainer of the Year took the stage to delight the crowd with an epic performance.
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Chesney got the crowd singing and dancing along as he sang his 2014 song, “American Kids.” The good vibes continued as Chesney started his second and final song, his 2004 hit “When the Sun Goes Down.”
Chesney’s performance came shortly after he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and his time on stage was certainly worthy of that incredible milestone.
Chesney is also a nominee at the 2025 ceremony. The singer is competing in the Musical Event of the Year category for his feature on Megan Moroney’s “You Had To Be There.”
If he and Moroney come out victorious, he’ll set the record for the person with the most wins in the category with five victories.
Kenny Chesney’s Big Year
Chesney’s performance came amid a big year for the singer. He’s been busy promoting his memoir, Heart Life Music, which came out earlier this month.
Speaking to People ahead of the book’s release, Chesney opened up about his future in country music.
“I love creating. That’s what I’ve always done, so I don’t see [slowing down] in my near future,” he said. “My life is already so planned out. I know what I’m doing in 2027!”
One thing he’ll definitely be doing is performing live, as he explained, “To be in front of 60,000 people on stage, that is where I feel the most comfortable in my life. It truly is.”
“Because when we’re up there for two hours, nobody can mess with me or the band. It’s just us giving the audience everything we have and the audience giving everything back,” he said. “That is one of the most unbelievable feelings that I’ve ever felt in my life. It’s my drug of choice. I don’t regret giving my whole adult life to creating because… what a way to live. That’s what I’ve always done.”
Hosted by Lainey Wilson, the 2025 CMA Awards are airing live on ABC from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The ceremony will stream next day on Hulu.
Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images
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