Kenny Chesney is “Goin’ Coastal”! His new tour kicks off this Thursday, joined by openers Billy Currington and Uncle Kracker  — with Zac Brown Band on board co-headlining this year’s 11 big stadium dates. Kenny’s really looking forward to getting back on the road, because when he’s not on tour, he misses “that moment of the first note of every night and the energy that’s there.” And for a seasoned tour pro like Kenny, you might think that nervousness is a thing of the past, but he says it’s a different kind of butterflies that take hold every night, as he shares, “it’s an anxiousness to get out there and really, really try to blow people’s hair back with our music and try to show them the best time ever.” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

• This year’s tour launches on St. Patrick’s Day — always a good day for a party — this Thursday, March 17th, in West Palm Beach, Florida!
• Check out kennychesney.com for a date near you!

  Kenny Chesney knows that his fans work hard, so they should play hard, too. (:25)
“I would say that that has been the philosophy of me and everybody that works for me and my tour since we started was work hard and play harder — and we work very hard. And the two-and-a-half hours we get to play up on stage, that’s our equalizer. That’s everything that makes it worth it. So yeah, I hope the fans come to the show this year and can actually put whatever is bothering them behind them for a little bit and live a little with us and our music, and enjoy the shared moment.”

  Kenny Chesney is hitting the road after a year off — do you think he’s nervous? (:60)
“I wouldn’t say there’s nerves. I would say there’s a lot of anxious energy — and there’s a difference. I’m not nervous that I’m gonna forget the words because I’m probably gonna forget the words. I’m not nervous that I’m gonna fall on stage because I fell on stage. I fell on my face one night, the very first night I played Gillette Stadium in Boston, fell completely right on stage. And so I don’t get nervous about those things because I know that some of those things are probably gonna happen anyway. But I get this anxious energy to play every night. So, I’m very anxious for that, and so I’m not completely…I wouldn’t say I was nervous. Now I may change my mind, later on, when it gets closer to showtime. We’re working so hard right now that — preparing to go on the road — that it’s…I’m not nervous at all. But I might be a little nervous, but I’m more…I got butterflies, but it’s a different butterflies. It’s not a nervous, ‘Oh my God, what are we gonna do,’ it’s an anxiousness to get out there and really, really try to blow people’s hair back with our music and try to show them the best time ever.”

  Kenny Chesney talks about the things he missed when he was off the road. (:13)
“There’s always that moment of the first note of every night and the energy that’s there. I miss that a lot, and I miss the passion from the fans, and I miss the energy of the band and feeling the kick drum in my back.”

  Kenny Chesney can’t wait to reconnect with his fans. (:32)
“I’ve got a very, very loyal, fun, smart…I feel like it’s a very eclectic fan base which has grown throughout the years. And to get to reconnect with the fans out there that have lived with our music, that have helped make this summertime…I say ‘event’ because I do feel like that our shows have become less of a show and more of an event. And I love that about our crowd, and they made that happen. And so to be able to reconnect with that, that’s the thing I’m lookin’ forward to the most.”

  Kenny Chesney has included stadium dates on the “Goin’ Coastal” Tour. Some he’s played before, others will be new territory. (:17)
“We’ve been doin’ the stadium run for several years now. I’m lookin’ forward to gettin’ back out there. We’re playin’ some stadiums this year that we haven’t played before. We’re playin’ some that we have played before, like Pittsburgh and Philly and Detroit and Boston, you know, we’re playin’ Tampa again. But I’m lookin’ forward also to doin’ the new ones, so that’s gonna be a lot of fun.”