Kenny Chesney was presented with the Country Radio Broadcasters’ Humanitarian of the Year Award yesterday (2/19) at CRS in Nashville.
He told the crowd of country radio programers, “I have to tell you, I have a lot of emotions standing up here. I am embarrassed and uncomfortable, but God has given me the gift of communicating with people through music… and that’s given me a unique platform to help, especially with the Virgin Islands, with Songs for the Saints, which was written in the moment and came from the heart.”
Kenny added of his work to help rebuild the U.S. Virgin Islands after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, “You know, I’d heard ‘One Love’ by Bob Marley my whole life, but when you’re under that kind of stress, to see everyone coming together to rebuild and help? I got to see what that song was in action. What was really amazing were so many people who didn’t really have anything, and the way they gave. You didn’t have to be a musician, like me, or a politician, like Mike Bloomberg, to make a difference, and the people did.”
Over the years, Chesney has helped others through various foundations including his own Spread the Love Foundation, which benefitted amputee survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing, Drew Brees’ Dream Foundation, Songs For Saints, MusiCares, St. Jude, Matthew McConaughey’s Just Keep Living Foundation, the Smoky Mountain fire recovery, Music & Memory for Alzheimers patients, the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Drive, Farm Aid and more.