Kenny Chesney at the premiere of his documentary, The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story, held at the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, Tenn. (l-r) Condredge Holloway, Kenny Chesney, former UT coach Bill Battle, director Shaun Silva. Photo by and courtesy of George Achaves.

In a Knoxville, Tennessee theater packed with Tennessee football greats like Peyton Manning, Tee Martin, and Larry Seivers as well as former coaches Bill Battle and Phil Fulmer and current coach Derek Dooley, Kenny Chesney premiered his new documentary, The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story.

While Kenny’s first foray into filmmaking with documentary The Boys of Fall was a great success, the power and emotion behind The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story is unmatched. You don’t have to be a Tennessee fan or even a football fan to be moved by the story of a man who was denied the chance to play quarterback at school after school because of his skin color. One by one, those who wore orange after Condredge stood to address him, Kenny, director Shaun Silva and ESPN’s John Dahl after the film. Peyton Manning confessed to having tears in his eyes as he watched the film.

“I was crying and I know you had to have been crying so I want to know your reaction,” Peyton said to Condredge. “And Kenny and Shaun, I just want to tell y’all thank y’all for letting everybody know what a great player Condredge Holloway was and what a true legend he was.” Continue Reading

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Kenny Chesney was honored as "Tennessean of the Year" by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, February 11, 2011. Photo by Bill Thorp, courtesy of Shore Fire Media.

Kenny Chesney was honored as “Tennessean of the Year” by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, February 11.  He was honored not only for his role as a producer on the ESPN football documentary “Boys of Fall,” but also for his role as mentor of young adults through his contribution of thousands of DVDs to high schools across the country.  As Bill Emendorfer, President of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame says, the award “honors an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to our society through sports or other methods, demonstrating strong character and high profile leadership.” 

Kenny’s offer to contribute copies of the “Boys of Fall” DVD to high schools across the nation was met with tremendous response and requests from school principals and coaches in all 50 states. In one of the letters received, a high school’s athletic director invited Kenny to serve as an honorary assistant coach as they vied for a 10th state championship, and in another, a head football coach wrote to Chesney, “your path to success has shown kids all over the country that if they have a dream and a willingness to work hard, anything is possible.” Continue Reading

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Sara Evans photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Country artists have a reputation for giving back to the community, and plenty of them are reaching out in the weeks and months ahead with benefit concerts and acts of charity.

Sara Evans, Jimmy Wayne, Kenny Chesney and Jo Dee Messina are among the people finding ways to help out. The causes? A children’s hospital, a community-building agency and a Christmas adoption special.

Here are some of the helpful ways country stars are aiding their neighbors:

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Hank Williams, Jr. photo courtesy of Curb Records.

We’re eight weeks away from the start of the college football season and nine weeks away from the NFL’s kickoff. If you’re ready for some football, so are Hank Williams Jr. and Faith Hill.

Both of the country stars will be back in key positions, providing the theme music for “Monday Night Football” and “Sunday Night Football.” In fact, both of them have already shot the video packages.

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Kenny Chesney photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Kenny Chesney might be better known for his high energy concerts and hit songs than his football skills, but the lessons he learned while playing high school football have stayed with him throughout his life. Kenny has spent the past year filming a documentary, ‘The Boys of Fall,’ about the game he says helped shape him into the person he is today.

“I was the starting wide receiver, which tells you how great we were,” Kenny says of his days playing for Gibbs High near Knoxville, Tenn. “And I quit growing my freshman year. But I now know why we practiced longer, why our coach put us through double practices in the summer heat… all those things he put us through. It was to teach us things me and everybody on our team has used to become the people we are.” Continue Reading

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Kenny Chesney photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Come Sunday, much of the world will be watching the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts battle it out for the NFL’s title at the Super Bowl, though most people’s seats won’t be as good as those of some of country’s biggest stars. Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney and Rascal Flatts guitarist Joe Don Rooney will be in the house at Miami’s Sun Life Stadium — as will Carrie Underwood, who sings the national anthem.

The game presents a particular predicament for Kenny. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning hails from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville — Kenny’s home turf — and they became good enough friends that Kenny actually sang at Peyton’s wedding. But Kenny’s also pals with New Orleans coach Sean Payton and has worked out with the Saints before. He and Jimmy were both at the Louisiana Superdome to see New Orleans beat the Minnesota Vikings in person in the NFC Championship Game.

Colts? Saints? You won’t see Kenny putting his money down on either team.

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