Kenny Chesney photo courtesy of BNA Records
April 6, 2007 — When Willie Nelson asked Kenny Chesney to produce his next album, Kenny was overwhelmed. "The idea that he'd call me about making a record with him, well, you just don't dream stuff like that," he tells CMA Close Up.
"When he opens his mouth, there's just so much there, beyond the notes, even," Kenny says. "He's one of the great American voices of all time, and he's someone I've listened to my whole life."
Having honed his craft at Acuff-Rose as a staff writer, Kenny learned songwriting in the old-school sense, and it was something he took very seriously when looking for material for Willie. Drawing on Guy Clark, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Dave Matthews and Randy Newman, Kenny sought out songs as strong as Nelson's singing.
"We had all the guys in the studio in a circle, and they were just so there," Kenny says. "This was Willie Nelson, singing some of the best American songwriters, and you could tell everyone was completely into it. Even Willie said it was the most fun he'd had in the studio. That made me proud."
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