NEWS RELEASE
Kenny Chesney Sets Sail For XM Radio With His Own Signature Music Channel 'No Shoes Radio'
7/3/2008
WASHINGTON, July 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Midway through the year's most attended Poets & Pirates Tour, complete with 14 NFL stadium plays, the four-time consecutive and current Academy of Country Music and three-time and reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year has set his sights on XM Radio and his own signature music channel, "No Shoes Radio."
Scheduled to launch July 26, "No Shoes Radio" will feature music from Chesney's audio catalog, including never- before-heard recordings, an uncut, exclusive concert broadcast from the 2008 Poets & Pirates Tour, plus random drop-ins from fans, friends and plenty of music to bring to life the attitude that permeates Kenny Chesney's world.
"There's a lot of hits, but there are also a lot of album tracks, songs from the early part of my career, stuff from our Keg in the Closet shows and obscurities that you had to be there to hear," says the Luttrell, Tennessee-born and - raised singer/songwriter with a laugh. "Anyone who knows anything about me knows how passionate I am about music, and this is a way to bring people into everything I love about songs, playing ... music."
"No Shoes Radio" will also include music beyond Chesney's catalog, featuring both those artists who rocked Chesney's world and the kind of music you could easily hear drifting from the backstage "Vibe Room" -- capturing the sonic culture of the Poets & Pirates Tour.
"I think we've become a part of people's lives," admits the high energy performer. "The way a lot of bands were for us, we're what they're listening to when they're hanging out, when they're having fun, when they need to gear up for something. That's what music always did for me ... and it's kind of mind-blowing to think that your songs could be that for someone else. So for all those fans out there, get ready for something pretty cool."
1 In the spirit of his Corona-sponsored Poets & Pirates Tour, music and other content for "No Shoes Radio" will be captured on the bus, in the halls, around the soundchecks, and even during post-show jams. Beyond that, not only will Chesney's special guests be taking part in the ad hoc merriment, look for tailgating fans from the parking lot to provide drop-ins, shout-outs and the occasional request.
Said Chesney, "This is a way to keep the vibe alive, long after our tour is gone."
For XM, this sort of full-immersion, dedicated radio channel is reserved for a very few artists -- Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, George Strait and the recently announced Coldplay. It offers a unique listening experience to hardcore fans of music that reflects a way of life as much as a record collection.
"'No Shoes Radio' will bring the same energy and fun found in the parking lot tailgates and the sold-out stadiums Kenny plays to fans across the country," said Eric Logan, executive vice president, programming, XM Radio. "Kenny's a tremendous talent and we're excited to share his passion for music and life on XM."
"No Shoes Radio" will be available on XM channel 18 from July 26 through October 25. The channel will also be on XM Radio Online (http://xmro.xmradio.com/), where it will stream for an additional three months. Complete programming information for the channel will be available online at http://www.xmradio.com/kennychesney.
About XM
XM is America's number one satellite radio company with more than 9.3 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago, Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's 2008 lineup includes more than 170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: commercial-free music, premier sports, news, talk radio, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information.
XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche, Ferrari, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota, is available in 140 different vehicle models for 2008. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide. XM programming is also available through XM Radio Online, the exclusive home on the Internet for XM's commercial-free music channels; as downloads of original XM shows via podcasts from XM's Web site or the Apple's iTunes Store; and as streams of commercial-free XM music channels to AT&T and Alltel wireless customers through XM Radio Mobile. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com/.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements in this 2 press release include demand for XM Satellite Radio's service, the Company's dependence on technology and third party vendors, its potential need for additional financing, as well as other risks described in XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.'s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 2-28-08. Copies of the filing are available upon request from XM Radio's Investor Relations Department. All programming subject to change.
SOURCE: XM
CONTACT: Anne-Taylor Adams of XM, +1-212-708-6171, [email protected]; or Wes Vause of BNA Records, +1-615-431-4300
Web site: http://www.xmradio.com/ http://xmro.xmradio.com/ http://www.xmradio.com/kennychesney
3