Kenny Chesney’s highly anticipated new album Life On A Rock is now available to stream in its entirety exclusively on the iTunes Store.  The album stream, which is already being called “the most personal and invested album of his career” will remain available until release day on April 30. Fans who pre-order the new album will instantly receive a download of “Lindy,” the first song written for the project.

“When I wrote these songs, it was to capture a time and a place, friends, memories and the way it all felt,” Chesney says of the collection that features guest appearances from Willie Nelson and the Wailers Band. “But the more you live, the more you realize how precious those things are… and now, iTunes is helping me share these stories, these people, these songs with music lovers everywhere.”

Life On A Rock, co-produced by Chesney and CMA/ACM-Award winner Buddy Cannon, (“Spread The Love,” produced by Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney & Elan) was captured in Nashville, London, Malibu and Jamaica. This is Chesney’s 14^th studio album. Below is the full track listing for Life On A Rock.

1. “Pirate Flag” 
2. “When I See This Bar” 
3. “Spread The Love” (featuring The Wailers with Elan)  
4. “Lindy” 
5. “Coconut Tree” (with Willie Nelson)  
6. “It’s That Time Of Day” 
7. “Life On A Rock” 
8. “Marley” 
9. “Must Be Something I Missed” 
10. “Happy On The Hey Now” (A Song For Kristi)

“Pirate Flag,” the project’s lead single, marked Chesney’s 8^th Top 25 debut – the only artist in Billboard history to achieve that feat. – It hit the Top 10 in just 7 weeks, and is currently climbing the country charts.

Chesney’s sold over 30 million albums, including the quintuple platinum Country Music Association Album of the Year When The Sun Goes Down, the quadruple platinum No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems and Greatest Hits, as well as the triple platinum The Road & The Radio.

He’s won four consecutive Academy of Country Music and four Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Awards. Other awards include the fan-voted American Music Awards Favorite Artist and the Academy of Country Music’s Top Male Vocalist. Among his 24 #1s are “There Goes My Life,”  “The Boys of Fall,” “Somewhere With You,” “Beer In Mexico,” “Out Last Night,” You & Tequila” with Grace Potter and the ACM Single of the Year “The Good Stuff.” Known for his high energy live shows, he in the midst of his current No Shoes Nation Tour, which includes 19 stadiums.

Photo Credit: Erik Kabik

When Kenny Chesney rolled into Las Vegas to celebrate the 4th Anniversary of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s state of the art concert room The Joint – which Chesney had joined legendary Paul McCartney, Bon Jovi and the Killers for their opening run of shows – he wanted to do something special to mark the event. Beyond scaling his stadium-sized show to fit in the most intimate room his tour will play, one with site lines being no more than 300 feet from the stage, the high energy performer knew it was going to take a little something more to dazzle the crowd used to having the best of everything.

Enter Grace Potter, the soul-roots-rocker who joined him for the Grammy nominated Vocal Duet “You & Tequila.” With a rare break in her vigorous touring schedule, the “Paris (Oooh La La)” singer and VH-1 Diva popped into Vegas for the second night of Chesney’s sold-out two night stand April 19-20 and performed a sultry “Wild Horses,” a hard-hitting take on “Legs,” as well as “Stars,” a song Chesney produced on the Nocturnals’ The Lion The Beast the Beat.

“When Grace said she could come, I was fired up,” Chesney says. “I try to have an open door policy for my friends who play to come and sit in. But Grace is such a powerful musician and singer, to be able to have her do more than just our duet is a treat. In a place like the Joint, especially, what she does really shines – and I love being able to turn people onto that kind of playing.”

Chesney was marking his sixth and seventh appearance at the Joint, a venue he regards “as one of the best concert-going experiences you can have.” For the man who’s played many of America’s most legendary rooms, biggest stadiums and various beaches, to be able to find an intimate club that allows him to do what he does is the ultimate treat in a summer tour that includes 19 stadiums, several arenas and a few open air amphitheaters.

With Potter having already popped up at his Orange Beach, Alabama show – along with Sammy Hagar and Emeril Lagasse – and Mac McAnally joining Chesney onstage at the Tortuga Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale to sneak debut “Must Be Something I Missed,” a track from Chesney’s 4/30 release Life On A Rock, you never know who may walk out on that stage.

“That’s the thing about music,” Chesney explains. ”You want to keep it vital, to play different kinds of places and with all sorts of players. Music should bring people together, it should remind you what’s great about being alive – and when I can make music with friends like Grace or Steve Miller or the Wailers, that’s what keeps my music so alive…”

With the No Shoes Nation Tour on the road through the end of August, when it hits Gillette Stadium in Foxboro for a two night stand August 23-24, a new album coming and “Pirate Flag” riding high, it looks like a big summer.

With his deeply personal Life On A Rock three weeks away, Kenny Chesney is putting his island grown music right in the sand. As his No Shoes Nation Tour is tackling 19 stadiums, several arenas and a few amphitheaters, the 4-time Academy of Country Music and 4-time Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year goes to the source of his inspiration for one very special show, headlining the Rock the Ocean’s inaugural Tortuga Music Festival April 13.

“The ocean has been a home, a refuge, a source of clarity and inspiration, as well as some of the best times of my life,” says the high energy showman, “When I think of what the ocean means to me as a person, but also to the world in general… It is a powerful force to be celebrated and protected. So, not only do I get to have an ultimate place to play, but we’re calling some attention to the reality of taking care of the world around us.”

The two day festival marks one of the most diverse bills the man who’s sold over 30 million albums and had 24 #1 country hits will enjoy this summer. Besides stadium tourmate Eric Church, who headlines Sunday night, the show includes sets by the Avett Brothers, Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite, G. Love & Special Sauce, Bright Light Social Hour, Rayland Baxter, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Jake Owen, Eli Young Band, Mac McAnally, Kip Moore and Chesney’s friends and recordmates Grace Potter and the Wailers.

“Music, like the ocean, is the great equalizer,” Chesney says. “The more you can bring diversity together, the broader people’s awareness – and what they like gets. I can’t wait to see a bunch of these acts myself. So, it’s gonna be a great day of music in a beautiful place – and all in the interest of raising awareness about the sustainability of the ocean. I can’t wait to get there – or get out onstage and play to the fans and the ocean.”

The Rock The Ocean Foundation supports scientific research, education and increasing public awareness about the issues impacting the world’s oceans. They are teaming with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, an organization also dedicated to ensuring that future generations will enjoy and benefit from a naturally balanced ocean ecosystem.

“It’s so big, it’s easy to take for granted the ocean is a living, breathing thing,” explains the man who wrote 8 of the 10 songs on his Life On A Rock. “But the sea is just as alive as any of us, and it’s up to us to not poison it, overfish or disrupt its ecosystem. To come together for that purpose, have some fun, learn a little bit, see old friends like Grace and Family Man and enjoy the day, it seems like a Saturday.”

As “Pirate Flag” hits the Top 10, the man who’s sold over a million tickets on each of his last ten tours, is gearing up for the April 30th release of Life On A Rock. After an intimate media listening event in Nashville, he performed his anthem of every day rebellion on the Academy of Country Music Awards. With the No Shoes Nation on the move now that tour is rolling, look for Chesney in a Stadium, arena, amphitheater or beach somewhere near you.

Photo Credit: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Kenny Chesney may’ve just finished the most intimate album of his career, but that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten his friends. The man who’s recorded with Grace Potter (“You & Tequila”), Mac McAnally (“Down The Road”), George Strait (“Shiftwork”), Joe Walsh (“Wild Ride”) and Uncle Kracker (“When the Sun Goes Down”) enlists two legends Willie Nelson and the Wailers Band for Life on a Rock, due April 30.

“The spirit of this record is so much about friendship,” says the man knee deep in his No Shoes Nation Tour, which includes 19 stadiums this summer. “A lot of these songs were inspired by the people I’ve met, the lives we’ve shared and the way they inspired me. It felt kind of odd to not have some of the musical people who’ve inspired me be a part of this record…

“So, I reached out to Willie – because who is more inspiring? Any chance you have to be around him, take it. You will be more for the time you share,” Chesney says. “He sang on ‘Lucky Old Sun’ with me, and Buddy Cannon and I got to produce his Moment of Forever, which is one of the things I’m proudest of in my career… and I wanted to do something different with him this time.”

Something different is the Calypso under-towed “Coconut Tree,” a whimsical song about making one’s way in the island. With marimba and steel drums, the pair sound like old friends laughing and telling each other a tall one!

“And the Wailers Band I’d never actually recorded with,” Chesney says of working with the iconic reggae musicians. “They came and played the CMA Awards with me one year, but we never went into the studio! And I really wanted to have that experience with Family Man and those guys, to go to Jamaica and make music and even write with them… “

“Spread The Love” is a bright reggae churner of coming together, punctuated with horns and marked by the notion of making the world better by loving one, loving all. In some ways a departure for the man who wrote 8 of the 10 songs on Life On A Rock, it feels at home with some of Chesney’s more tempo songs.

With “Pirate Flag” sitting inside the Top 10 on the country singles charts, Chesney’s song to launch a summer has been moving up the chart at a lightning pace. Though a departure from the rest of Life On A Rock, the soul-seeking record takes a more reflective look at life, the people who make us who we are and those moments that we don’t even realize how precious they are until they’re gone.

Fans can pre-order “Life On A Rock” by clicking HERE.

This morning HUKA Entertainment confirms Grace Potter has been added to the lineup for Rock The Ocean’s inaugural TORTUGA MUSIC FESTIVAL, presented by Landshark Lager.

“We’re excited to add Grace Potter to the festival,” said A.J. Niland CEO of HUKA Entertainment. “She’s a favorite of ours and a great addition to the bill.”

Grace and her band are currently touring in Europe in support of their new album THE LION THE BEAST THE BEAT, produced by Jim Scott and Grace Potter along with Dan Auerbach.  When reached for comment Potter exclaimed “We’re so excited to be traveling from Vermont to Tortuga (Music Fest) to join you guys for your beautiful music festival. We’re going to be with Kenny Chesney, Avett Brothers, Lynyrd Skynryd and Gary Clark Jr.  It’s going to be amazing.”    

Potter joins previously announced headliners Kenny Chesney and Eric Church along with The Avett Brothers, Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite, Gary Allan, Jake Owen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gary Clark Jr., Eli Young Band, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Kip Moore, Gloriana, G. Love & Special Sause, Donavon Frankenreiter, Mac McAnally, The Wailers, Sister Hazel, Dangermuffin, Rayland Baxter and The Bright Light Social Hour.

Tickets for the festival are currently on sale HERE.

The sands of Fort Lauderdale Beach will be turned into our oceanfront festival grounds, making Tortuga a music and ocean lover’s paradise. World-class artists will perform on three stages and local culinary fair as well as sustainable seafood will be served. Thanks to our partnership with Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, festival fans can explore Tortuga’s one-of-a-kind Conservation Village located directly on the grounds.  This exciting addition to the festival will be visual and interactive while providing information about the Ocean, her inhabitants and how we can all chip in to make a difference.

The Recording Academy and TBWA\Chiat\Day have teamed for the sixth year to promote the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards with the ad campaign “#TheWorldIsListening.”

“#TheWorldIsListening” campaign features both established and up-and-coming artists across a variety of print, out-of-home and digital communications, as well as three TV commercials. The first commercial, “Slammed Door,” tells five-time GRAMMY winner and current nominee Rihanna’s story. The second commercial, “The World is Listening,” features artists including the Kills, Snoop Lion and Taylor Swift alongside emerging artists such as Grace Potter, Kishi Bashi and Dam-Funk. Two-time GRAMMY winners and current nominees the Black Keys will appear in the forthcoming commercial titled “Soundcheck.”

At the heart of this year’s “#TheWorldIsListening” campaign is a newly created website, www.grammyamplifier.com, which allows musicians to share their tracks via SoundCloud for a chance to have their music tweeted out by a panel of music icons, including Linkin Park, RZA, and Snoop Lion. While social media has given musicians more ways to share their sounds than ever before, the online music space is increasingly fragmented. As a result, it gets more difficult for emerging artists to be discovered. “#TheWorldIsListening” campaign and the GRAMMY Amplifier aims to help solve this problem by exposing new artists through social platforms — with the ultimate goal of discovering artists with the potential to be the next generation of GRAMMY winners..

“This year’s campaign highlights the raw emotion and desire of the artist’s journey, and is amplified via social media in order to draw more music fans into an engaged music conversation,” said Evan Greene, Chief Marketing Officer of The Recording Academy.

Patrick Condo, creative director, TBWA\Chiat\Day, said, “Sure, the music industry embraces fame —  but music always comes first. From RZA to Rihanna, to the young girl taking her first piano lesson, it’s their passion for the craft that will, ultimately, lead them to the public and then fame. This year’s campaign celebrates this passion and the talent as burgeoning artists embark on that quest for fame.”

All of the campaign materials prominently feature the hashtag #TheWorldIsListening, a first in GRAMMY history and a testament to the role of social media with regard to the GRAMMY telecast. In February 2012, the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards generated more than 13 million social media comments making it the biggest social media event in the history of television at the time.

The 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on Sunday, Feb. 10 at Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live in HDTV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network  from 8–11:30 p.m.

For updates and breaking news, please visit The Recording Academy’s social networks on Twitter and Facebook.

The 3rd Annual American Country Awards will air live from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas Monday, Dec. 10 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. Luke Bryan leads the American Country Awards nominees with seven nominations; Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown Band each earned six nods; and Eric Church and Taylor Swift garnered five nominations.

A “Song of the Year” category also has been added to this year’s event, in an effort to pay tribute not only to country music’s top performers, but to its top songwriters, as well. The nominees are determined by the Professional Songwriting Division of the Nashville Songwriters Association International.

Starting today, fans can vote once each day for their favorite American Country Awards Nominees at www.theACAs.com. Voting is open until Monday, Nov. 12 for all categories, except for Artist of the Year, which closes on Friday, Dec. 7. The nominees for each award category have been determined by four media measurement companies: BigChampagne (record sales and media consumption); Great American Country (video airplay); Mediabase (radio airplay); Pollstar (touring data); and Nashville Songwriters Association International.

Hosted by multi-platinum recording artist Trace Adkins and Emmy and Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, the two-hour live music spectacular is the only country music awards show that gives fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite artists not only in traditional categories but also in a previously unrecognized area – touring – encompassing the entire spectrum of country music and bestowing honors that no other awards show has.

The American Country Awards will feature performances and appearances by the year’s chart-topping country artists. Performers and presenters will be announced soon.

Following is the list of categories and nominees for the American Country Awards:
Artist of the Year: 

• Jason Aldean 
• Luke Bryan
• Lady Antebellum
• Taylor Swift
• Zac Brown Band

Artist of the Year: Male

• Jason Aldean 
• Luke Bryan
• Kenny Chesney
• Eric Church
• Toby Keith

Artist of the Year: Female

• Sara Evans
• Miranda Lambert 
• Martina McBride 
• Taylor Swift 
• Carrie Underwood

Artist of the Year: Group

• The Band Perry
• Eli Young Band
• Lady Antebellum 
• Rascal Flatts 
• Zac Brown Band

Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist

• Lee Brice
• Colt Ford
• Gloriana
• Justin Moore 
• Jake Owen

Artist of the Year: New Artist

• Lauren Alaina 
• Hunter Hayes
• Jana Kramer
• Kip Moore
• Pistol Annies

Album of the Year

• Dierks Bentley, “Home“ 
• Luke Bryan, “tailgates & tanlines“ 
• Eric Church, “Chief“ 
• Lady Antebellum, “Own the Night“ 
• Blake Shelton, “Red River Blue“

Single of the Year

• Jason Aldean, “Tattoos On This Town“ 
• Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night To End“
• Eric Church, “Drink In My Hand“ 
• Chris Young, “You“
• Zac Brown Band, “Keep Me In Mind“

Single of the Year: Male

• Jason Aldean, “Tattoos On This Town“
• Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night To End“
• Kenny Chesney, “Reality“ 
• Eric Church, “Drink In My Hand“
• Chris Young, “You“

Single of the Year: Female

• Sara Evans, “My Heart Can’t Tell You No“ 
• Miranda Lambert, “Over You“ 
• Martina McBride, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It“ 
• Taylor Swift, “Ours“
• Carrie Underwood, “Good Girl“

Single of the Year: Group

• Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart“
• Lady Antebellum, “We Owned The Night“ 
• Rascal Flatts, “Banjo“ 
• The Band Perry, “All Your Life“ 
• Zac Brown Band, “Keep Me In Mind“

Single of the Year: New Artist

• Hunter Hayes, “Wanted“ 
• Jana Kramer, “Why Ya Wanna“ 
• Dustin Lynch, “Cowboys and Angels“
• Kip Moore, “Somethin’ ’Bout A Truck“
• The Farm, “Home Sweet Home“

Single of the Year: Breakthrough Artist

• Lee Brice, “A Woman Like You“
• Brantley Gilbert, “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do“
• Gloriana, “(Kissed You) Good Night“ 
• David Nail, “Let It Rain“
• Jake Owen, “Alone With You“

Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration

• Kix Brooks featuring Joe Walsh, “New To This Town“ 
• Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, “Feel Like A Rock Star“
• Brad Paisley featuring Carrie Underwood, “Remind Me“
• Rascal Flatts featuring Natasha Bedingfield, “Easy“
• Zac Brown Band featuring Jimmy Buffett, “Knee Deep“

Touring Artist of the Year

• Kenny Chesney 
• Lady Antebellum 
• Miranda Lambert
• Tim McGraw
• Brad Paisley
• Eric Church
• Toby Keith
• Rascal Flatts
• Taylor Swift 
• Zac Brown Band
• Jason Aldean

Music Video of the Year

• Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night To End“ 
• Jake Owen, “Alone With You“
• Blake Shelton, “God Gave Me You“
• Keith Urban, “For You“ 
• Chris Young, “You“

Music Video: Male

• Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night to End“
• Jake Owen, “Alone With You“
• Blake Shelton, “God Gave Me You“
• Keith Urban, “For You“ 
• Chris Young, “You“

Music Video: Female

• Sara Evans, “My Heart Can’t Tell You No“ 
• Miranda Lambert, “Over You“
• Martina McBride, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It“
• Taylor Swift, “Ours“ 
• Carrie Underwood, “Good Girl“

Music Video: Group or Collaboration

• Gloriana, “(Kissed You) Good Night“ 
• Lady Antebellum, “Dancin’ Away With My Heart“ 
• Little Big Town, “Pontoon“ 
• Love and Theft, “Angel Eyes“
• The Band Perry, “All Your Life“

Music Video: New Artist 

• Hunter Hayes, “Wanted“
• Casey James, “Let’s Don’t Call It A Night“ 
• Jana Kramer, “Why You Wanna“ 
• Dustin Lynch, “Cowboys and Angels“
• Kip Moore, “Somethin’ ’Bout A Truck“

Song of the Year:

• Trace Adkins, “Just Fishin’” (Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell and Ed Hill)
• Jason Aldean, “Fly Over States,” (Michael Dulaney and Neil Thrasher)
• Jason Aldean, “Tattoos On This Town“ (Michael Dulaney, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher)
• Lee Brice, “A Woman Like You“ (Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford and Jon Stone)
• Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, “You And Tequila“ (Matraca Berg and Deana Carter)
• Ronnie Dunn, “Cost of Livin’” (Phillip Coleman and Ronnie Dunn)
• Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart“ (Will Hoge and Eric Paslay)
• Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup“ (Brett Beavers, Jim Beavers, Brad Warren and Brett Warren)
• Eric Church, “Springsteen“ (Eric Church, Jeff Hyde and Ryan Tyndell)
• Tim McGraw, “Better Than I Used to Be“ (Ashley Gorley & Bryan Simpson)

“El Cerrito Place“, the third single from Kenny Chesney’s Welcome To The Fishbowl CD was delivered to country radio yesterday, September 11th. If “Come Over” was the most sensual song Chesney has recorded, then “El Cerrito Place” is perhaps the most achingly beautiful. A song about losing someone, and being consumed with trying to find that lost love, this song gives Chesney’s sweet Tennessee drawl a heartbreaking platform it has not had on past singles.

“Someone said they might have seen you,where the ocean meets the land

So I been out here all night looking for your footprints in the sand.

Did you hear the ocean singing and baby did you sing along

While you danced out in the water to some old forgotten song Or were you even here at all?”

Perhaps I am feeling my own loss, with the horrific anniversary looming as I pen this, but this song seems about so much more than a broken heart…there is a broken soul here, one that hopes to see the object of his love, somewhere…anywhere. He knows that love is gone, and gone forever, but still, he keeps looking. Grace Potter‘s angelic backing vocals again blend with Chesney’s to soar to the heights that only a broken heart can understand. Boys and girls, summer’s most famous party boy has grown up.

GotCountryOnline Rating: