Country superstar Kenny Chesney announced the release of his upcoming 21st album that is the perfect mixture of his laidback vibe, and a place he can’t believe exists.
“Silver Sands Marina,” which will be released on Sept. 25, and it’s somewhere Chesney detailed that can instantly uplift your mood.
“When you hear the song, it’s so perfectly drawn, you almost can’t believe it’s real,” he told Rural Radio. “But, of course, it is a real place – located on Lake Winnipesaukee – where generations of families and friends have tied up their boats, checked in, enjoyed the water and being together. You can feel all the happiness and fun people have had there the moment you step on the property.”
Kenny Chesney’s Album Describes a Place Songwriters Couldn’t Stop Thinking About
He also didn’t do the typical Hollywood thing when shooting the video of the title track. The “Summertime” singer didn’t use any special effects to make it seem as if you were at Silver Sands Marina, because he shot the music video there.
In typical Chesney form, the “Anything But Mine” singer stood on the boat deck with no shoes and played his guitar on the water.
Kenny Chesney’s Album Combines Family, What Music Can Be
“Like the song, there’s a sense this place can’t be real,” Chesney continues. “When you pull up, it’s even more wonderful than the pictures. You can feel people’s lives have played out here; kids who’ve met, grown up together, occasionally gotten married and brought their kids there; fishing trips and reunions. And, as my song suggests, the occasionally unexpected encounter where you meet someone who sees you for all that you are — even if it’s only for a moment.”
The song was written during a Nashville writing session with songwriters Johnny Clawson and Kyle Sturrock. The two were riding bicycles around Lake Winnipesaukee when they stumbled upon the marina and the Silver Sands Hotel. The impact obviously left a mark. They couldn’t stop thinking about it.
That was the consensus with Chesney, too.
Getty“It is such a well-written song. You can smell the Fall in the air, the lake, and that solitude,” Chesney told Billboard. “Everyone’s so busy rushing, you miss most of the small details — and everything that happens around them. But in ‘Silver Sands Marina,’ not only do the details hold the song in place, they remind you that the magic happens in the simplest, realest places: You just have to be open to letting it happen.”
The new album will feature star-studded guests including Colbie Caillat, Lily Meola and Megan Moroney.
Moroney opened for Chesney for the 2024 Sun Goes Down stadium tour which eventually turned into a collaboration for the song “You Had to Be There.”
Chesney described the upcoming album, “something personal, reflective, empowering and euphoric in places,” on his website.
“I love everything about music, but especially how it makes you feel,” Chesney explains. “It can crack open a tough moment, lift you up, blow you up and make you laugh harder than anything. When I started thinking about all the things music can be, a few songs came in — and “Silver Sands Marina,” as it now exists, took shape. Some great players, guests who really fit the songs, but especially some places I’ve never gone.”
You can pre-order the album here.
