Kenny Chesney Has No Plans To Retire Anytime Soon: ‘I Know What I’m Doing in 2027’
The Country Music Hall of Famer does not plan to slow down in the near future.
Kenny Chesney; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
At 57, Kenny Chesney has cemented his legacy in the Country Music Hall of Fame, but while some of his peers might be slowing down to enjoy life beyond music, Chesney isn’t planning on hitting the brakes anytime soon.
“I love creating. That’s what I’ve always done, so I don’t see [slowing down] in my near future,” he recently told PEOPLE. “My life is already so planned out. I know what I’m doing in 2027!”
The East Tennessee native’s schedule is packed. With his first-ever book, Heart Life Music, set to release on November 4 and a return to the Sphere in Las Vegas next summer, Chesney shows no signs of slowing down, especially when being on stage is where he feels most alive.
“I know this sounds crazy, but 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 explained.
“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.”
The eight-time Entertainer of the Year has been filling America’s biggest stadiums for over 20 years, playing to more than a million fans each summer since 2002. Watching him perform, it’s obvious he shares a rare connection with both the stage and his audience.
“I love what I do. I love making music,” he declared, adding, “and I love being on that stage, more than any place in the world.”
Soon, Chesney will take the spotlight in a new way: hitting the road for his book tour starting this weekend. Several stops, including Boston, Key West, and Tampa, have already sold out.
Looking ahead to 2026, he’ll return to Las Vegas for another run, with tickets already on sale.
Kenny Chesney Heart Life Music Book Tour
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1 *SOLD OUT*
Johnson City, TN
Martin Center for the Arts in the Grand Hall
East Tennessee State University
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2 *SOLD OUT*
Boston, MA
Back Bay Event Center
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3 *LIMITED TICKETS REMAIN*
Philadelphia, PA
Academy of Music
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4 *LIMITED TICKETS REMAIN*
Englewood, NJ
Bergen Performing Arts Center
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5 *LIMITED TICKETS REMAIN*
Chicago, IL
Copernicus Center
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6 *LIMITED TICKETS REMAIN*
Nashville, TN
CMA Theater (5:30 and 8:00 pm Events)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7 *LIMITED TICKETS REMAIN*
Beverly Hills, CA
Saban Theatre
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10 *SOLD OUT*
Key West, FL
Tennessee Williams Theatre
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 *SOLD OUT*
Tampa, FL
Tampa Theatre
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16 *LIMITED TICKETS REMAIN*
Downtown Miami, FL
Miami Dade College
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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