Heart Life Music

In this down-to-earth memoir, Chesney traces his ascent from small-town Tennessee to country music stardom. He describes an all-American childhood dominated by “school, church, sports, and family” and music that reflected community values (“It was about life, hard work, falling in love to last, and throwing down on the weekends”). While studying advertising at East Tennessee State University, he began playing music with students in the school’s bluegrass program. Chesney was not a natural talent—he was nicknamed “timing,” for his lack of it—but he was determined to improve and moved to Nashville after graduation, where he played at bars until he landed a songwriting job. He debuted with 1994’s In My Wildest Dreams, embarking on a career of stadium tour after stadium tour, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2025. Chesney takes care to honor his roots throughout, giving due to the industry professionals and “road family” who helped him succeed and interspersing uplifting if predictable musings on how music brings people together (“I know no matter what football stadium or amphitheater, the teams they love are different, who they voted for isn’t the same.... But the songs, that feeling they give us, they connect us”). Country music fans will be satisfied. (Nov.)