Morgan Wallen Pays Tribute to Kenny Chesney: “Somebody Who I've Always Held in High Regard”

During a new episode of his official radio station on SiriusXM, Morgan Wallen has paid homage to one of his biggest influences and fellow Knoxville native, Kenny Chesney.

While introducing one of the ‘No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems’ hitmaker's sunny, beachside anthems, Wallen explains how they shared similar starts to their journeys, “This right here is by a fellow Gibbs High School alumni, and East Tennesse boy”.

He then champions Chesney, who remains one of the most revered artists in today's country landscape, as “Somebody who I've always held in high regard and who I looked up to”.

The ’Love Somebody’ singer-songwriter concludes, “It's really cool to say that we're from the same place, and grew up doing a lot of the same things I'm sure. This is Kenny Chesney”.

Wallen and Chesney have been spotted on a number of occasions in local bars watching their beloved Tennessee Volunteers playing, with the duo being photographed alongside Peyton Manning and Kelsea Ballerini during one closely-fought contest.

Although Chesney has always opted for more sun-soaked, island-inspired themes than Wallen, you can still hear the four-time CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year's impact on the latter's style. For instance, the bucolic, idyllic imagery of East Tennessee that Chesney brings to life on ‘Back Where I Come From’, ‘Fields Of Glory’ and ‘Where I Grew Up‘ feels cut from the same cloth as Wallen staples like ’More Than My Hometown’, ‘Still Goin’ Down’ and ‘Whatcha Know ‘Bout That’.

There are also hints of Chesney's escapist, Buffett-esque and palm-printed blueprint on the likes of ’Need a Boat’, ‘Sand in My Boots’ and - sonically, at least - ‘Love Somebody’.

We'd love to see Chesney and Wallen linking up at some point soon, and we can see their respective sounds blending to produce a summery, contemporary country earworm.

Wallen's radio station premiered on SiriusXM earlier in April, with the ‘Thought You Should Know’ crooner performing a special, intimate set at Nashville's The Pinnacle to celebrate the launch. It finds him reflecting on some of his key musical influences, spotlighting artists he's enjoying at the moment and sharing a behind-the-scenes look at his 2026 Still the Problem Tour, which kicks off this weekend with a double-header at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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