WATCH: Kenny Chesney And Carly Pearce Surprise Fans With “You And Tequila” Duet
Kenny Chesney’s Here And Now Tour is officially in full swing, and he is already shaking up his 27-song setlist.
On Saturday (April 30), the hitmaker performed at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, and surprised No Shoes Nation with a jaw-dropping performance and a duet with ACM Female Vocalist of the Year Carly Pearce to “You And Tequila.”
After taking a long hiatus from touring due to the pandemic, Chesney shared with the roaring crowd that he’s slowly finding his footing again.
“We’re at the beginning of the tour, we opened the tour last Saturday in Tampa. This is our second night,” the East Tennessee native declared. “We’re starting to learn how to walk again. It feels incredible.”
While sporting his iconic cowboy hat and a washed-out tank, he continued to mention that he felt ready to pull out some surprises. Ahead of the show – his mother demanded a duet with Pearce, and the chart-topping artist explained that he couldn’t obey her orders.
“We’re changing stuff with the setlist, and we didn’t do this last week, but my mama is here tonight from Knoxville, and she wanted to meet Carly Pearce,” he clarified. “So, Carly came up on the bus. And my mom goes, ‘Are you going to sing with Kenny tonight?’ I went,‘You know, probably be a good idea.’ So if you don’t mind, Carly please come out,” he said while introducing the breakout star.
The powerhouse artist joined the “I Go Back” singer under the spotlight barefoot and in his very own merchandise. Before the two delivered “You And Tequila” for the first time on the Here And Now Tour, they shared a warm embrace.
As Chesney and Pearce wowed fans with their memorizing harmonies, the high-energy audience jumped in on the catchy chorus – creating a stadium moment.
“‘Cause you and Tequila make me crazy| Run like poison in my blood| One more night could kill me, baby | One is one too many, one more is never enough,” everyone belted.
Chesney penned the smash hit alongside Deana Carter and Matraca Berg. The multi-platinum artist called in GRAMMY-nominated singer Grace Potter to elevate the feel-good tune. “You And Tequila” lives on Chesney’s fan-favorite 2010 album, “Hemingway’s Whiskey.”
Before embarking on the summertime tour, Pearce told Everything Nash that she looks at Chesney as a mentor and is excited to learn from him while out on the road.
“I’ve loved Kenny Chesney forever, and he’s become a friend of mine over the last year,” she gushed to the publication. “He’s honestly been a mentor, and I’m so excited to get to watch his show every night, and hopefully learn something every night. I feel like he’s the King of Country Music for touring,” she concluded.
Pearce was not the only person the singer-songwriter brought out on stage, as he called up 13 Carolina Panthers and head coach Matt Rhule for “Boys of Fall.” Professional running back Christian McCaffrey granted a local boy with a Panthers helmet.
“Hearing those voices, nothing sounds sweeter – and last week was a blur of excitement,” Chesney shared in a statement following the show. “To really be in the moment and take in those fans, to just listen to them singing... It made me realize even more how much I’ve missed the heart and the energy of No Shoes Nation.”
The Here And Now Tour will run until August of 2022 and will also feature Old Dominion and Dan + Shay. Tickets to see the star-studded lineup are currently available for purchase.
