5 May 2005
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Kenny's "Keg" Takes Him "Back"
Follow-Up To 3rd Multiple Week #1 "Anything But Mine" Gets Personal, Swings Hard


   Nashville, TN: It started with Kenny Chesney writing "I Go Back," a song about how music becomes an indelible mark from a moment -- and it camped out right behind Tim McGraw's landmark "Live Like You Were Dying" for two months. And from that kernel of real life, Kenny Chesney realized an awful lot of people lived their lives a lot like the quiet-spoken East Tennessean.

   To that end, BNA Records and the reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year decided to go for an unprecedented sixth single from his nearly quadruple platinum When The Sun Goes Down -- serving up the driving slice of fratlife revelry "Keg In The Closet," another song from Chesney's own pen. With three multiple week #1s already culled from CMA Album of the Year -- "There Goes My Life," "When The Sun Goes Down" featuring Uncle Kracker and the recent "Anything But Mine," Chesney's found a way to connect with people that's undeniable.

   "We were trying to decide about coming with a single from a new record -- or doing 'Keg'," Chesney admits. "And as much as I wanna get on to the new music, because you're always fired up about creating, there are a lot of songs on Sun that I hate to leave on the table. When we looked around, looked at what the fans keep bringing up, what THEIR favorite songs are, 'Keg' kept coming up -- so as a tribute to them, we decided to go one deeper on this record."

   A romping recollection of Chesney's day -- and short tenure in Lambda Chi -- "Keg In The Closet" is an exuberant trek through all the joys and good times that college life should be. In addition to a dog named Bocephus and the ever elusive Mary Ann, "Keg" is a pretty good postcard from Any School.

   "Change a few details, and it's everybody's college experience," admits Chesney. "Going to class to have something to do til it's time to hook up with your buddies, talk about girls, maybe play some sports, throw some darts, have some fun. It's a pretty great time, and it's one of those things that can't be duplicated at any other time in your life."

   The man who sold more concert tickets than anyone other than Prince last year comes as close as anyone -- mounting the commando Keg In The Closet Tour over two weekends as a warm-up for his major concert trek for the past two years. With no production, two buses and usually 48 hours advance notice, Kenny & Co. descend on college bars in an unsuspecting college towns for a free-for-all three-to-four hour show that features his hits and a cocktail of covers that span the spectrum from Van Halen to George Jones to Bob Marley to George Strait.

  "You can run your career for the marketing, or you can run it for the music and the fans," Chesney says. "I try to be smart about how I do my business, but when you look out from the stage every night and see those faces. I don't know how you could lose sight of what really matters."

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