Kenny Chesney Announces New 'Songs for the Saints' Album

Kenny Chensey will have a new album this summer! The Tennessee native reveals Songs for the Saints will be out on July 27, his first on his own Blue Chair Records in partnership with Warner Bros. Records.

"So much has happened since I went off the road in 2016," Chesney says in a statement. "And all of it, in one way or another, has ended up on this record. It's special to me because of what it says – to me, and for me – about life, the world around us, how fragile it all can be and about somehow still finding the best parts of you, and moving towards them."

Chesney left his long-time label, Sony Records, after the release of his 16th studio album, Cosmic Hallelujah, in 2016 to join forces with Warner Bros.

"Leaving a place where I'd spent my whole career was both scary and exciting," Chesney concedes. "There's that rush of not knowing anything about how this company works, and digging in. But there's also a special thrill of being around people who truly understand what you're doing and who are excited to be part of this music. It's inspiring in all new ways when you have people match your own passion for the music."

Chesney admits he was already at a crossroads, when Hurricane Irma hit the Virgin Islands, destroying not only his house, but much of the island that he called home.

"I was at a turning point in my life on so many levels, and then Hurricane Irma hit the Virgin Islands.But this album isn't about St. John, so much as it's about what happened to St. John and all those islands you didn't see on the news," continues Chesney. "To just see the devastation and what that does to people is one thing, but then there's this courage and resilience people find."

Still, the 50-year-old insists there is much more to Songs for the Saints than just coming to terms with the tragic storm.

"This is not a literal record," adds Chesney, "but it is an album about the refuges we all have, how temporary life is and the way we navigate to better places, dig in and face the destruction. And sometimes, we learn to own our wild hearts in the process."

The timing for the release of Songs for the Saints intentionally coincides with Chesney's time on the road, headlining his Trip Around the Sun Tour.

"I feel like I know what this album's supposed to be, and I know how much it means to me," he says. "I wanted to get it just right, before we set a release date… and I think we've got it. I'm just glad we'll have it out in time for me to play some of these songs this summer before the Trip Around the Sun Tour is over."

Chesney will be joined by Thomas Rhett and Old Dominion for his summer tour. Dates and venue information can be found on his website.

Photo Credit: Instagram/kennychesney