Ziggy Marley, Mindy Smith, Jimmy Buffett Join Kenny Chesney’s ‘Songs For The Saints’

Kenny Chesney‘s upcoming 17th studio album, and his first for Warner Music Nashville, titled Songs For The Saints, will feature unique collaborations with Ziggy Marley, Mindy Smith and Jimmy Buffett.

“Each one of them has a tie to my life in the islands, but also reflect some piece of what we’re trying to do. Ziggy Marley, and his family’s legacy, holds so much truth for all of the people I know down there. Mindy Smith’s Come To Jesus was an album I lived with from morning to night when I was first going down there – and her voice sounds like an angel. And Jimmy, more than the lost shaker of salt, understands the poetry of the islands beyond what tourists see, the life in a way that made a song written decades ago so current. I’m honored they also want to help.”

Songs For The Saints was recorded in Nashville and mixed in Key West. Chesney began crafting the album in response to the destruction brought upon the Virgin Islands by Hurricane Irma. Proceeds from Songs For The Saints will benefit Chesney’s Love for Love City Fund, to benefit Virgin Island relief.

“Creating like this, you don’t have a master plan, but the music will take you and teach you,” Chesney said. “I knew I wanted this album to show the spirit of the people, but I wanted it to focus on healing, on their gift to rise above such complete chaos and devastation. They had no power, no real food, nothing; they dug in, started clearing the land and rebuilding. To me, that’s inspiring.”