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Kenny Chesney once fell in “deep soul love” with an unexpected acquaintance.
The country star, 57, opened up about his friendship with Ethel Kennedy and explained why the two gravitated toward each other in such a profound way in his newly released book, titled “Heart Life Music.”
“[Rory Kennedy] invited me to come to Hyannis Port to meet her mother, Ethel, the day before our Gillette shows. When you pull up to the Kennedy compound and see that yard you’ve seen so many times in magazines and news clips, the history hits you,” Chesney wrote in the book. “Then, Ethel Kennedy sees you and reaches for a hug, she’s so bright and welcoming, her presence eclipses all of it.”
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“From the moment I sat down on the couch with her, there wasn’t any history. I didn’t think about her as an activist, an icon, but someone filled with life, who filled everyone with love,” he continued. “Walk around the house, you see the black-and-white images of John F. Kennedy, Ethel, and Bobby, waiting on election returns. They’re sitting in this wonderful living room, where I was seated, waiting for JFK to win by that narrow margin.”
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“Somewhere in that day — we had lunch, went for a sail in Nantucket Sound, came back and talked, played volleyball in the backyard with all the kids — we fell in deep soul love. Her spirit is so engaging, I wanted to soak it all up.”
Ethel was the sister-in-law of former President John F. Kennedy. She founded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization in 1968 after her husband was assassinated in June of that year.
Chesney said he couldn’t believe the connection they shared.
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“One of those written-in-the-universe things, it was only the beginning,” he wrote. “I went on so many sailing trips, as well as Ethel’s ninetieth birthday party in Palm Beach. I’m not political. She didn’t care.”
“Everything about us clicked. The humor, curiosity, passion for living was our reality,” he noted. “We shared so many laughs and moments, Page Six, the New York Post’s gossip column, ran an item headlined, ‘Are Ethel Kennedy and Kenny Chesney Sailing Buddies?’ She was ninety, having more fun than people a third her age. Nobody loved living, her family, dogs, or causes more.”
Ethel died at the age of 96 in October 2024.
Former Congressman Joe Kennedy III announced Ethel’s passing in a post on social media.
“It is with our hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our amazing grandmother, Ethel Kennedy. She died this morning from complications related to a stroke suffered last week. Along with a lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights, our mother leaves behind nine children, 34 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren, along with numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom love her dearly,” Joe wrote.
“She was a devout Catholic and a daily communicant, and we are comforted in knowing she is reunited with the love of her life, our father, Robert F. Kennedy; her children David and Michael; her daughter-in-law Mary; her grandchildren Maeve and Saoirse; and her great-grandchildren Gideon and Josie,” he added. “Please keep her in your hearts and prayers.”
Chesney said he was “surprised” when he was later asked to sing at Ethel’s funeral.
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“There I was at St. Matthew the Apostle before Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton; the ambassador from Ireland; senators; bishops; and the world — via live stream — to honor my friend. Along with Stevie Wonder and Sting, I was offering — a capella — a song that defined Ethel Kennedy.”
“‘Every time I was around your mother, she made me feel great, because she felt like sunshine.’ Nothing every person in the capacity cathedral didn’t already know. But it was true. Putting my hands to my chest in a small prayer, I began ‘You Are My Sunshine.'”
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