Kenny Chesney To End Upcoming Album With Unreleased Song Written By Late Friend Brett James
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Kenny Chesney’s upcoming album will include a tribute to the late songwriter Brett James.
Chesney is getting ready to release his new album, Silver Sands Marina, on September 25. It will be the country superstar’s 21st studio album and will feature multiple collaborations with other artists, like Megan Moroney, Colbie Caillat, and Lily Meola.
But that’s not the only thing that makes this album special. The final track, “Shot Glass,” will be a tribute to his late friend Brett James, who helped co-write the song a while back.
On September 18, 2025, James died in a small-engine plane crash in Franklin, North Carolina. He was 57 years old. His wife and stepdaughter were also killed in the crash.
James had built a successful career as a songwriter. The Grammy winner had written music for some of the biggest names in country music, including Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, and many more.
His relationships in the country music world went far beyond just work, though. James was a close friend of many of the artists he worked with, including Chesney.
Kenny Chesney Opens Up About Honoring Brett James On His New Album
In a recent interview on TalkShopLive, Chesney explained how the idea to honor James came to be.
“My friend Tony Lane and my friend Brett James had written a song called ‘Shot Glass,’ and I’d never heard it. Brett’s publisher sent it,” he recalled. “I knew exactly how I wanted this album to end, and then I heard ‘Shot Glass.’”
The song’s lyrics really spoke to Chesney, so he decided to change the album’s ending to make room for it.
“At the end of the song, it says, ‘Tell me, how did all that fit into a shot glass?’ Now, to sing that song, you have to have lived a little bit. You have to have a little bit of perspective,” he said. “So when I heard ‘Shot Glass,’ I thought about the subsequent songs on the record. How did all those emotions get into that shot glass? And that’s the very last line on the album.”
That one line also got Chesney thinking about all of the fun memories he shared with James over the years.
“Then I think about my friend Brett, and his life, and how much fun we had together and all the journeys we went on. All the sunsets and boat trips and songs written during that period…How did all that fit into a shot glass?”
@talkshoplive @Kenny Chesney shares the heartfelt story behind "Shot Glass," co-written by his late friend and songwriter Brett James, and why it was the only song that could close "Silver Sands Marina." Stream Kenny's full conversation with Holly Gleason on-demand to hear more about the stories behind the album, then pre-order your copy with autograph, exclusively on TalkShopLive. #KennyChesney #SilverSandsMarina #countrymusic ♬ original sound – TalkShopLive 🛒
Chesney isn’t the only country star who has honored James. An outpouring of tributes came after his tragic passing. Just a few stars who shared fond memories with James include Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley, Sara Evans, and more.
About a month after his death, Carrie Underwood paid tribute to him with an emotional performance of “Jesus, Take the Wheel” during a show at the Grand Ole Opry.
James helped write the hit song, along with several others for Underwood, like “Cowboy Casanova” and “Something in the Water.”
