Entertainment
Kenny Chesney Wows Tampa Bay After Five Years with Trip Around the Sun Tour
Last night, Kenny Chesney kicked off his “Trip Around the Sun” tour in Tampa, Florida and the show was nothing short of energetic, exciting, and a trip! With the beach style setup of the stadium with the floor seats and VIP area on beautiful white sand, considered the “sandbar,” and tons of beach balls bouncing throughout the stands, the atmosphere already took fans’ imagination on a tropical vacation. The sold out crowd of 55,292 fans were eager and enthusiastic to see Chesney back in Tampa Bay. Chesney has not done a stadium tour, let alone been in Tampa, for five years and apologized to fans numerous times for that last night, saying,
“Five years is way too long to stay away from Tampa Bay, and I apologize for that, and if you let me, my band, and my road family, we’re going to take you by the hand and make love to you all night! And I promise we’ll make up for all five years we did not come here!” With that said, Chesney, along with his tour mates, most definitely made up for it, just as he promised!”
The show kicked off with newer artist, Brandon Lay, known for his hit “Wilder Horses,” initiating the crowd’s engagement. Seats began filling in even more as Old Dominion took the stage, getting the stadium on their feet. Fans loved when Old Dominion sang their hit “Written in the Sand,” but they loved it even more and sang a little bit louder when the band played “Break up with Him.”
Thomas Rhett swooned the crowed opening up with “T-shirt.” Rhett then transitioned into his song “Sixteen,” when he located a fan, Jaden, who was actually celebrating her 16th birthday in the front row, and sang happy birthday to her. After “Sixteen,” the women in crowd sang their hearts out to “Marry Me.” Rhett showed off more of his artistic skills as the stage crew brought out a drum set for him to tear up towards the end of his song “Unforgettable.” Wrapping up his set, Rhett hopped off the stage to interact with the fans, running through, taking photos and giving hugs.
After a calming intermission, came the moment everyone was waiting for, the return of Kenny Chesney to Tampa, Florida! The electrifying visuals had nothing on the energy Chesney ran out on stage with to greet the crowd as he launched his set with “Beer in Mexico”. A fan, Lauren, told me prior to Kenny Chesney’s set, “I’ve been watching him for ten years and he’s still one of the most energetic country artist[s] ever, completely entertaining and just keeps you smiling in awe of him the entire concert!”
She was right about that. Chesney had the crowd in complete awe as he rolled from one hit to the next. There was not one dull moment during the show–it’s like he didn’t even need to stop for air–dancing, singing, loving on the fans, and rocking the night away.
As Chesney introduced the song, “Save it for a Rainy Day”, it turned out that two band mates from Old Dominion actually wrote that song, so Kenny had the two join him on stage to perform it. After that, Chesney had his audience give a heart-warming shout out to his pianist, Wyatt, who had to get surgery just two days prior to the concert and couldn’t play. As the crowd shouted “We love you Wyatt!” Chesney introduced, Thomas Rhett back out on stage to sing “When the Sun Goes Down” with him, which the fans loved every bit of. Roughly the second-to-last song of the night, Chesney performed his former hit, “Out Last Night,” a song which seemed like the whole stadium knew the words to. The singalong echoed throughout the stadium and probably halfway down Dale Mabry Blvd.
It was a night many did not want to end, but as Kenny Chesney promised, he sure did make up for not being in Tampa, Florida for five years and there’s no doubt that fans will be counting down to the next “Trip Around the Sun.”
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Kasey Hudson is a contributor for Florida National News. | social@floridanationalnews.com
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Chaka Khan, Q Parker to Lead Living Legends Foundation’s 35th Anniversary Gala in Atlanta
Milestone celebration will recognize the executives, radio personalities, entrepreneurs and cultural leaders who helped shape Black music and entertainment
ATLANTA, Ga. (FNN) — Ten-time Grammy Award winner Chaka Khan will serve as honorary ambassador and Grammy-winning singer and founding 112 member Q Parker as honorary gala chair for the Living Legends Foundation’s 35th Anniversary Awards Dinner & Gala, the organization announced.
The milestone celebration is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2, in Atlanta and will bring together artists, music executives, radio personalities, creatives, entrepreneurs and cultural leaders to recognize the people whose work has helped shape Black music, media and entertainment.
For Khan, the role marks a return to an organization that recognized her more than three decades ago. She was among the artists honored by the Living Legends Foundation in 1992.
“When you cross a bridge, you don’t think about all the hands that built it. Some of the most important contributions are the ones we never see,” Khan said in the announcement. “Thank you, Living Legends Foundation, for seeing that every story matters and for honoring those hands and hearts that helped build the way for all of us.”
Chaka Khan Returns for Milestone Anniversary
Living Legends Foundation Chairman David C. Linton said Khan’s connection to the organization makes her participation especially significant during its 35th anniversary.
“Having Chaka Khan serve as our Honorary Ambassador during this milestone year is incredibly meaningful,” Linton said. “Chaka’s history with the Foundation reaches back to our earliest years, and her extraordinary career represents the excellence, longevity and cultural impact we have worked to celebrate for 35 years.”
Khan’s appearance also comes as she prepares for another chapter in her recording career. According to the foundation’s announcement, her new album, “Chakzilla,” is scheduled for release Sept. 18. The project, described as her first full-length album in seven years, includes collaborations with Sia, Snoop Dogg and Lenny Kravitz.
The combination of Khan’s new music and her honorary role highlights one of the gala’s central themes: connecting the legacy of Black music with the people continuing to move the industry forward.
Q Parker to Serve as Honorary Gala Chair
Joining Khan is Q Parker, a founding member of Grammy-winning R&B group 112. Parker will serve as honorary gala chair and help promote the foundation’s work recognizing and supporting music industry professionals.
“Black music has given me a career, a community, and an opportunity to use my gifts to impact people around the world, so serving as Honorary Chair for the Living Legends Foundation’s 35th anniversary is truly an honor,” Parker said.
Parker said the industry’s success extends far beyond the artists audiences see on stage.
“This organization understands that our industry is bigger than the names we see on the marquee,” Parker said. “There are countless people behind the scenes who have dedicated their lives to moving our culture forward.”
Parker recently released the single “Stare,” from his forthcoming album, “Evolution of Romance, Volume Two,” expected this fall, according to the announcement.
Honoring the People Behind Black Music and Culture
Founded in 1991, the Living Legends Foundation has built its mission around recognizing professionals whose work has helped bring Black music and culture to audiences around the world.
Beyond its annual honors, the nonprofit provides support to music industry professionals with confirmed needs and invests in future generations through mentorship, scholarships and other assistance.
The anniversary gala will continue that mission by placing executives, broadcasters, advocates, entrepreneurs and other behind-the-scenes leaders alongside some of the most recognizable figures in entertainment.
2026 Living Legends Foundation Honorees
This year’s honorees include:
- Ray Harris Lifetime Achievement Award: Louis Carr, president of BET
- A.D. Washington Chairman’s Award: Black Promoters Collective
- Jerry Boulding Radio Executive Award: Kenny Smoov, vice president of urban programming, Cumulus
- Frankie Crocker Radio Personality Award: Greg Street, air personality, V-103 Atlanta
- Impact Player Award: Juliette Jones, COO, Alamo Records
- Music Executive Award: Tim Reid, senior vice president, repertoire and marketing, BMG Recorded Music
- Mike Bernardo Female Executive Award: Phylicia Fant, global director, Black Music + Culture, Amazon Music
- Kendall Minter Entertainment Advocate Award: James McMillan, Esq., CEO, ART@WAR Entertainment
- Hip-Hop Visionary Award: Ted Lucas, founder and CEO, Slip-N-Slide Records
- Entrepreneur Award: Ralph McDaniels, executive producer, “Video Music Box”
Why the 35th Anniversary Matters
The anniversary reflects more than three decades of recognizing people whose contributions to Black music and entertainment have not always received the same public attention as the artists they helped build, promote and sustain.
That history is reflected in Khan’s return. After being recognized by the foundation in its early years, she will now help honor another generation of industry leaders.
The 35th Anniversary Awards Dinner & Gala will continue the Living Legends Foundation’s tradition of celebrating achievement, leadership, innovation and service while preserving the stories of the people who helped build the business and culture surrounding Black music.
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