Curatorial Corner – Heart Life Music Tops the Charts

Hailing from Knoxville, Tennessee, Chesney has released more than 20 studio albums and earned multiple Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music awards, including Entertainer of the Year. Beyond music, Kenny is a devoted philanthropist and storyteller, connecting with fans through his lyrics, tours, and now, this debut book.

In People magazine, Chesney describes the book not as a traditional memoir but “almost a love letter to people who shaped and inspired me … legends who gave me wisdom … all the friends who’ve been there along the way.” This includes the likes of Jimmy Buffet, Willie Nelson, Eddie Van Halen, and even our own Bruce Springsteen.

For example, Kenny, discussing his 2002 No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems album, recalls, “There’s no shame in loving being alive, but I also wanted to tackle things that were more complex. Bruce Springsteen’s ‘One Step Up’ was that. A gut punch of how we betray ourselves. I’d arrived at a place where I’d had enough relationships blow up that I had the experience to sing it. If Bruce was more forward in his version, I was the guy lost at bat, shaking his head. But I found that same self-examination that made this song so powerful…”

Kenny wrote to Bruce, letting him know he wanted to cover the song. As Kenny shares, “Two weeks later, a FedEx arrived from New Jersey… ‘I always believed Tunnel of Love had a country soul,’ said the half-print/half-script handwriting. The words talked about what the song meant to him, believing in me as someone to sing his song. ‘You brought a lot of sensitivity to the lyric of ‘One Step Up.’ Thanks for the care.’ I stood there, looking at the notecard with Bruce Springsteen’s name printed across the top, frozen. He was so humble.”

Speaking of Chesney’s rendition of “One Step Up,” in May 2016, he made a memorable stop at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park to celebrate the launch of his SiriusXM No Shoes Radio. In that famed Jersey Shore club, he performed fan favorites like “I Go Back” and “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem,” but it was his acoustic take on Springsteen’s “One Step Up” that really stood out. Listen to it here.

Chesney acknowledged the moment’s weight, admitting he wrestled with whether covering the Boss at such a storied Jersey venue felt cliché — but ultimately said it was “one of the highlights” of his life, even calling out to Springsteen directly from the stage:

“A part of me thought it was cliché, but then a part of me wanted to pay respect… This song was on my No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems album in 2002, and I got an amazing letter from my friend here in Asbury Park…It was one of the highlights of my life, just so you know. Because of that, I decided to do this song. So bear with me, it’s been a while. I believe Bruce is in Barcelona, he’s playing tomorrow night, so Bruce—greetings from Asbury Park!”