A Match Made In Summer-Lovin’ Heaven
By 2004, Kenny Chesney had already established himself as the king of island-themed country songs with his hit single from the previous year, “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems.”
On the opposite end of the spectrum, country rock artist Uncle Kracker was still a newcomer to the business at the time, and was experimenting with different styles to find his place in the genre.
So when these two unlikely forces teamed up for a duet, fans were surprised to say the least. But the result eventually became one of the most successful country duets of all time, and has been considered a summertime anthem ever since.
A Summertime Groove
“When the Sun Goes Down” was released as the second single off of Chesney’s album of the same title, and quickly soared through the charts to claim the number one spot. It marked Kracker’s first entrance on the country charts, and made him an instantly recognizable name in the households of country fans.
The song was so successful that it crossed over to the 26th spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and it was certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales of over one million units.
Due to the song’s immense popularity, Chesney and Kracker decided to perform it during an appearance at the ACM Awards in 2004. Chesney started off on stage on his own, while images of rushing waves and swaying palm trees covered the screens behind him.
After Chesney took his turn singing a verse and the chorus, Kracker came out and joined him on stage, and the crowd went wild.
Overall, the duo’s performance was one huge party, and according to the way the crowd reacted after it was over, we’d say they liked it! Even today, you can still hear people blasting this song while they sit out at the pool or cruise down a country road in the summer.
So what are you waiting for? Watch Chesney and Kracker’s throwback performance of “When the Sun Goes Down” in the video below!
