Sony Music Nashville and Kenny Chesney are extending their exclusive worldwide recording agreement. During Chesney’s tenure with the label group he has sold more than 30 million albums and scored 37 top five singles, including 23 number one hits.
“We are very happy to be renewing our worldwide partnership with Kenny Chesney. He is a tremendous superstar with a unique creative vision and we look forward to sharing continued success with him in the years ahead,” said Doug Morris, CEO of Sony Music Entertainment.
“This is Kenny’s recording home and I couldn’t be happier to say that Kenny and Sony will continue to make records together for many years to come,” remarks Sony Music Nashville Chairman and CEO Gary Overton. “And his new album Welcome to the Fishbowl may be his finest record yet!”
As part of this new agreement, Chesney’s future recordings will carry his Blue Chair Records imprint. Blue Chair will be affiliated with Columbia Nashville, and listed as Blue Chair Records/Columbia Nashville.
“I moved to Nashville to be a songwriter, so to have my own label imprint feels like beyond a dream come true,” says Chesney. Welcome to the Fishbowl is the most honest and authentic album I’ve ever recorded, and I’m thrilled to be able to release it on my own Blue Chair Records. It’s the start of a great new chapter for me as an artist.”
In sync with this announcement, Sony Music Nashville reveals that the BNA Records imprint will be retired and all of its artists and employees will be welcomed to Columbia Nashville.
“We are proud to add these artists to the legacy of the Columbia Nashville label,” Overton says. “For more than 50 years Columbia Records has been part of Nashville with such legendary talents as Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins and Ray Price to name a few. And now, the rich history continues.”
