Kenny Chesney is officially a Country Music Hall of Famer – largely considered country music’s most prestigious honor. And starting June 23, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will celebrate his life and career with an expansive exhibit, Kenny Chesney: Living in Fast Forward, presented by Blue Chair Bay Rum.
The exhibit runs through June 2027 and is included with museum admission. The impressive collection traces Chesney's career path from his days playing in East Tennessee State University's bluegrass band all the way to stadium headliner and becoming one of the most influential artists of his generation.
"Kenny Chesney's creative vision and intense drive to continue raising the bar has helped him reach staggering commercial and artistic highs," Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young said in a statement. "He has broken almost as many records as he has made, and his work is far from done."
Populated with instruments, awards, photographs, handwritten lyrics, and personal memorabilia, Chesney’s exhibition offers an intimate look at the milestones and passions that shaped his career. The exhibit’s highlights include the Fender Concord acoustic guitar he played in college and his early years in Nashville. The East Tennessean even had the guitar signed by artists and songwriters he met along the way, including Hall of Fame members Dean Dillon, Harlan Howard, and Porter Wagoner.
Fans can also see the weathered wicker rocking chair that inspired Chesney's song "Old Blue Chair." The chair later appeared on the cover of Be as You Are (Songs from an Old Blue Chair) and in the song's music video.
Other items of interest include the 1992 demo tape of "When She Calls Me Baby," a handwritten Nashville Number System chart used during the recording of "You and Tequila," and a life-size replica of the blue marlin affectionately known as "Marley." Chesney took the mammoth fish on tour, and it famously survived the 2010 Nashville flood.
The exhibit also explores Chesney's lifelong love of football with memorabilia from his days at Gibbs High School near Knoxville and his connection to New England, including a commemorative football given to him after three sold-out shows at Gillette Stadium in 2025.
"When you're so busy living life — literally in fast forward — you rarely pause to think about all the miles traveled, the faces you've met along the way," Chesney said. "In the end, I feel like every piece of who I am is represented."
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is located at 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S in Nashville. Hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily.