Putting People First: Kenny Chesney Pays His Entire Crew Through The End Of 2020
Like most other artists, Kenny Chesney has made the decision to postpone his tour plans until next year.
That not only means a loss of income for Kenny, but for his entire crew and band as well—in Kenny’s case, 120 people.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kenny says in an interview with the L.A. Times that he began to worry about how it would affect everyone’s livelihood.
“As we got into March and festivals started canceling — I saw the Stones move their stadium dates — I got really nervous, as anybody would be that employs as many people as I do,” he said. “Thank God I don’t have to let anybody go this year.”
Kenny didn’t get into specifics of how much that will cost him; he simply said, “It’s expensive.” When looking at the numbers on paper, Kenny says, “I had to make a decision if I was gonna keep my lifestyle the way it was or if I’m gonna take care of my people.”
Several other artists have made headlines with their generosity to their employees amidst the coronavirus crisis. Brothers Osborne announced that they plan to keep their band and crew on salary throughout the pandemic. Dierks Bentley gave each employee at his Nashville bar one thousand dollars when the shutdowns began, as did Florida Georgia Line.
You can read Kenny’s full interview with the L.A. Times here.
Until the No Shoes Nation is able to party in person, enjoy this look back at some of Kenny’s best moments live onstage: