Kenny Chesney release expected in September

"In a lot of ways, the fans are as much a part of the shows as the band," Chesney says with a laugh. "They take everything to a whole other level... and it starts when we can smell the grilling and hear the music on blaring from the parking lot. Our fans know how to have fun... and they make us wanna be part of that. So after all these summers of them giving us so much, you know, and making this music so much more, I wanted them to hear how much a part of it they are..." Chesney took 14 songs - many classic, some rarities and several now retired - from various places he had played over the past 5 years. "We did a really special version of 'Off The Coast of Somewhere Beautiful' for a small concert on a private island for some fans," Chesney said, "and we've got a version of 'Anything But Mine' where the crowd just picks up the chorus and takes it from us...singing so sweet, me and the band just wanted to stand there and listen. We've got a bunch of the songs that maybe weren't singles or we're not doing now - like 'Back Where I Come From' and 'What I Need To Do' that are so much a part of my relationship with the fans."

"And I can't speak for them, but for me...listening to this, it brings all those shows, all those nights, all those faces right back. It's a funny thing, doing this. In some ways, it's a blur, but when you're onstage, you remember things about every single night, so many moments, so many things that happen. This album is like bringing them all alive in a single moment."

Chesney currently is riding high with "Summertime" topping the chart this week. The song is from "The Road & the Radio."