Cherokee Arena to host Mark Chesnutt Saturday night

By Scott Wright

Country music star Mark Chesnutt is no stranger to venues old and new. The Texas native has been traveling across the country since the 1980s entertaining crowds ranging in size from a few dozen to several thousand.

The 45-year-old husband and father of three also is no stranger to the top of the Billboard charts -- or the hills of northeast Alabama, he told The Post last week.

“We've been all around that area over the years,” Chesnutt says. “But being on the road all the time will burn you out. I had to start slowing down a little bit so I could focus on being a dad.”

Chesnutt's latest album, on independent label Lofton Creek Records, is titled “Rollin' with the Flow” and features a remake of the Charlie Rich hit from 1977 by the same title. He'll perform new hits and old favorites during an intimate, acoustic performance this weekend in Centre.

Chesnutt first hit the big time in 1990 with the single “Too Cold at Home.” Since then, he's entertained traditional and contemporary country music fans with hits such as “Bubba Shot the Jukebox,” “Old Flames Have New Names,” and “I'll Think of Something.” He has enjoyed 14 number one hits and multiple gold and platinum records during his country music career.

When Chesnutt steps onto the temporary stage erected inside the brand-new Cherokee Arena on the campus of Gadsden State-Cherokee Saturday night for the inaugural Weiss Lake Southern Christmas Concert, he will be doing the type of performance he says he loves the most – live and in person.

“We're really excited to be the first ones,” Chesnutt says of being the debut performer in the new facility. “Anytime we play in the South it's great for us since it means we're closer to home. We have a lot of friends in south Alabama who will be coming up to hang out with us, too.”

Chesnutt said in addition to performing many of his well-known hits, he'll also entertain the crowd with his version of songs by country music heroes George Jones and Hank Williams, Jr.

Chesnutt's latest collection of music was a two-year project, and he says he and his new employers are happy with the final product.

“We released 'Rollin' with the Flow' as a single before we ever finished the album, which took about two years,” Chesnutt says. “But we're really proud of it. Everything's new and it's a traditional country album, which you sometimes have a hard time finding these days.”

Chesnutt admits his decision to sign with an independent label has drawbacks.

“Sometimes you have to thumb through the [Kenny] Chesney albums to get to me,” Chesnutt says with a chuckle. “With an independent label you don't get the rack space that the major albums get.”

Chesnutt, who enjoys fishing and deer hunting with his friends near Opelika every year, says he has some old acquaintances in this neck of the woods, too.

“I toured a lot with the group Alabama early in my career,” Chesnutt says. “In fact, I was their opening act for a lot of years when I got started.”

Chesnutt says he remembers the boys from Fort Payne very well, and bumps into some of them on occasion.

“The guy who talked to me the most was Teddy Gentry,” Mark says. “He was always coming to my bus or my dressing room to visit. I learned a lot from him about how to work with a crowd.”

Chesnutt says he last saw Randy Owen this past summer in Nashville, and has fond memories of conversations about hunting and fishing that he used to have with Jeff Cook.

“They are just good old country boys,” Chesnutt says.

Following a few minutes of reminiscing, Chesnutt closes the conversation with one final reminder about his new album.

“I want people to know about our new CD, and to ask for them if they can't find them in the stores,” he says. “And tell folks that if they can't find them in the record stores, we'll have some with us Saturday night that will be for sale.”

Singer Wade Hayes and songwriter Larry Boone will also entertain the crowd Saturday night in Centre. The doors of the Cherokee Arena open at 6 p.m. and the concert begins at 6:30 p.m.

To purchase tickets, call the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce at 927-8455.