Today’s country music singers look back on those who came before them as influences. For Kenny Chesney, the one that sticks is Conway Twitty.
Chesney says, “But there’s one guy I have to say who really influenced my style and my singing more than anybody did and that would be Conway Twitty because of the type of songs that he sang. He sang directly, almost every song he sang, he sang directly to the ladies out there. This is one of my favorite ones ever.”
In this clip from The Nashville Network, Chesney sings a Conway classic, “Love to Lay You Down.”
In many of his songs, Kenny Chesney has a way of connecting his music tapping into small-town nostalgia. This is just one of the gifts that the singer-songwriter delivers over and over again.
Twitty had a distinct style where he moved from being a rock-and-roll type of singer with his No. 1 hit “It’s Only Make Believe” into country music. In his country career, he built up hits like “Hello Darlin’.”
Looking at his entire career, Twitty had 55 No. 1 singles, sold more than 50 million records, and collected more than 100 major awards.
The album covers that he delivered to fans were, by some, seen as a bit cheesy but his fans bought them up over and over again.
Kenny Chesney Talks About ‘Boys Of Fall’ Meaning
One of Chesney’s most recognized songs is “Boys Of Fall,” in which New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton is featured in the song’s official video.
Chesney said he recruited Payton for the music video to play the role of the high school coach. The crew decided to film the video at Payton’s alma mater Naperville Central High School. Payton gave a speech to the school’s real football team before they went out to play on a Friday night game.
“That was unique. I didn’t feel nervous,” Payton said. “I felt anxious because you’re speaking to someone else’s team. And let me just share with them what I’d like to do if I was able to all over again.”
Released in 2010, the song is an ode to high school football and the waning days of playing the sport as teens get older. For Chesney, football will always hold a special place in his heart. He played the sport himself when he was in high school.
