Nashville, TN. (Top40 Charts/ RCA Records) - 'She's a big star... every night in Joe's Bar... where she sings karaoke every night...,' went Kenny Chesney's every-fan's-dream hit from No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems. And ripping real life from one of his songs, the man called 'Entertainer of the People' by The San
Diego Union decided to his
Corona Extra sponsored
Poets &
Pirates to jumpstart some local bands' dreams.
Having staged battle of the bands in every city - to the find the local artists who have the songs, the show, the love of the music - to find his opening act, the bands in Tampa, Jacksonville and West Palm Beach mark the end of the Next Big Star. But it also brings to a close the larger context: to see who's going to 'go on tour' with the 4-consecutive Academy of Country Music and 3-time and reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year for the final weekend of his precedent setting tour.
'It's crazy, I guess, 'Chesney admits of his somewhat unconventional approach to finding support acts. 'I feel pretty good about where country music's headed... and the idea that maybe we're giving someone a shot in a way that you wouldn't expect, well, that's cool 'cause I think it's about trying to do the things I would've dug when I was fan. To put that in play, it makes what we do that much cooler.'
Once this weekend's shows play out, a blue ribbon panel of music industry professionals will go through the videos, consider the response to their shows and decide on the Next Big Star. They will immediately dispatch a tour bus and manager to pick up the band, then head straight to Tulsa , St Louis and onto Indianapolis for the tour's final show, the first official event at their new NFL Stadium.
'This isn't the way most people do it,' concedes Kate McMahon, TMG Director of Tour Marketing. 'But then Kenny is always looking not just for meaningful ways to involve the fans, but to reconnect with his own dream... He's never forgotten the thrill of those first breaks, and I think it really makes him happy to pass that onto these musicians who don't quite have their foot in the door yet.'
Beyond the ultimate adventure of being on the road for the final weekend of Chesney's tour, the winner will be given a check for $25,000 and have the opportunity to audition for Sony BMG. At a time when getting one's foot in the door gets harder and harder, the man whose enjoyed 15 No 1s and sold in excess of 25 million records, as well as being the No 1 ticket-seller of the 21st century is honored to open the door for someone else.
'No doubt having help is key,' Chesney admits. 'Those breaks mean everything... and I think about opening the George Jones/Tammy Wynette Reunion tour. They were legends, and there I was soaking it in, trying to learn everything I could. I don't know that I've got anything like that to share, but I hope whomever comes out here with us walks away a winner in more ways than one.'
