Kelsea Ballerini: ‘Kenny Chesney Is Family Now’

From texting Kenny Chesney at 2 am with a demo of "Half Of My Hometown," to achieving a No. 1 hit on country radio, Kelsea Ballerini will always go for what she wants when it comes to her music. The song even garnered the pair two CMA Awards, Musical Event of the Year, and Video of the Year. RELATED: Kelsea Ballerini Was ‘Determined’ To Make It In Music City Ballerini's relatable country tune is featured on her self-titled third studio album, Kelsea, released in March 2020. It was the fourth single to be released from the project, following "Homecoming Queen," "The Other Girl," and "Hole In the Bottle." "I'm a big proponent of [the idea] that you always have to shoot your shot, you know, and it's worked with Kenny. The worst thing that can happen is people say no whether they don't have the time or it's not the right time or whatever," Ballerini said. She continued, "I think you just have to be willing to put yourself out there. And so I've always pushed myself to ask the question and, I think because there was already a friendship there, it makes it easier." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abYaq2tWGYs Ballerini, who is hosting Backstage Country this week, spoke on her relationship with Chesney since the release of "Half of My Hometown." The 30-year-old even revealed how it all began, with a text message that she'll never forget popping up on her phone. "He immediately was like, 'This really touched me and I feel the same way.' [That's] The greatest gift that song gave me, truly, is that Kenny's family now, true family, comes over for Easter and Thanksgiving. Before that, he was just my hometown hero and so that's the that's the gift that that three minute and 12 second song gave me," Ballerini shared. The duo has performed the song together on several stages, including her homecoming show last fall in Knoxville. If we've learned anything from this collaboration, it's that you never forget where you're from, even if you're a country superstar. Click below to see more from Kelsea Ballerini on Backstage Country. https://www.instagram.com/p/C8umQK0OeLl