I grew up in east Tennessee, and everybody knew everybody's business.

When I'm offstage, I never feel famous. I will never let anybody call a restaurant and say, "We're with Kenny Chesney. Can you get us in?" That's so pretentious. I'm pretty simple except for the fact that I have a really great boat and a little bit of money. When I'm offstage I don't feel like the person everybody sees.

When I was playing for tips in college, I felt a fire in my soul. I had the same principle of focus that I had learned playing football.

I've been in the music business for 15 years. I've seen it all, man. I've just always been scared of coke. When I was on the road and saw some people do it, I was afraid I would really like it. I was afraid of the consequences.

I had a notepad and I wrote down 30 things to make myself better just off the top of my head, and the next day I started to do that.

I can say that I don't see myself with the foot on the gas pedal as hard as it's been down for 16 years.

I can't believe that I get to stand on the stages I stand on every summer, and get to sing the songs that I sing.