Kenny Chesney Recalls the Beginnings of His Career

Earlier this month, Kenny Chesney was on hand during the 2011 Country Music Summit held at Nashville's Renaissance hotel in the heart of downtown. During the 45-minute Q&A session, Chesney covered many topics, but the one that hit home the most was the sentiment behind his start in music.

"There was this girl that was sitting across the table from me," Chesney reflected, referring back to a time when he was in school in his earlier years. "I was trying to think of different ways for her to notice me ... this skinny kid! So I decided that I was going to write her a song. That was the first song that I ever wrote. I can't even remember the name of it, but I kind of went from there."

A short while later, Chesney made the plunge to move to Nashville.

"I remember the day," he stated. "It was January 13, 1991. I was living in an apartment complex right across the street from some country club. I had nothing to do ... I knew no one ... I watched TV the whole time [laughs]! I didn't know anybody, really. I met a few songwriters as you do when you go out to writers nights. I met a few guys that I wrote some songs with, and I wrote some songs on my own. I met a guy who is still a really good friend of mine: Clay Bradley at BMI. Every couple of months I'd play songs for him, and that's how the ball got rolling. I was starting to meet people here and there and making relationships. That's where my life started in this town."

"Next thing you know," he continued, "I was writing songs with Monty Shaffer, Skip Ewing, Dean Dillon and Don Sampson ... a lot of guys that taught me that you can't make a living writing 10-minute songs. All of a sudden I wasn't on the outside looking in the window; I was writing with some of the best songwriters in the world."

Since his career launched in 1994 with his debut single, 'The Tin Man,' Chesney has scored himself 20 No. 1 singles, sold over 30 million albums and has taken home numerous awards, including four CMA Entertainer of the Year trophies.

Chesney is currently on the road on his Goin' Coastal Tour with special guests the Zac Brown Band, Uncle Kracker and Billy Currington. Click here for a complete list of dates of where the tour will be stopping.

Watch the Kenny Chesney 'Summertime' Video