Kenny Chesney Honored with Eighth ‘Billboard’ Touring Award

Kenny Chesney. Photo: Jill Trunnell

Kenny Chesney marked his eighth win at the Billboard Touring Conference and Awards this week (Nov. 18-19) at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.

The touring star’s Big Revival Tour 2015 was the first tour after Chesney took off for a year and earned the entertainer his record achievement, Billboard Top Package Award. Joining Chesney this year for his mostly stadiums, some arenas and a few amphitheaters Big Revival 2015 Tour were Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Jake Owen, Brantley Gilbert, Old Dominion, Cole Swindell and Chase Rice – as well as Miranda Lambert at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

“We put a lot of thought into every year’s tour,” Chesney said of the honor. “It’s not just about bringing the music out to the No Shoes Nation, though obviously that’s what this relationship has been built on. It’s about how to create an experience every year that stands out, that’s worth remembering, that gives people a chance to love life, love music and have fun. This many years in, it’s still a thrill to be recognized for this part of what we do.”

Chesney first won the honor for 2005’s Somewhere in the Sun Tour, which featured Gretchen Wilson, Uncle Kracker and Pat Green. His next six tours also swept the category, starting with 2006’s The Road and The Radio Tour with Dierks Bentley and others, 2007’s Flip Flop Summer Tour with Sugarland, Pat Green, Brooks & Dunn and Sara Evans, then 2008’s Poets & Pirates Tour had a rotating cast of Keith Urban, Brooks & Dunn, Sammy Hagar, Gary Allan, Luke Bryan and LeAnn Rimes, followed by 2009’s Sun City Carnival with Miranda Lambert, Lady Antebellum, Sugarland and Montgomery Gentry, 2011’s Goin’ Coastal with Zac Brown Band, Uncle Kracker and Billy Currington and finally 2012’s all-stadium Brothers of the Sun Tour with Tim McGraw, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and Jake Owen.

“One of the best things about these tours, especially the stadium shows, is taking out artists who’re starting to make an impact and exposing them to a lot of people,” Chesney says. “It’s like turning your friends onto all kinds of bands – like when you’re young and music and sports is all that matters. Turning people on to great music is one of the coolest things, and it makes putting these packages together something that’s more than just a formula or who’s hot.”

Chesney is already leaning into 2016 with a dozen Spread the Love Stadium dates announced, which are already set to feature Miranda Lambert, Sam Hunt and Old Dominion.