Megan Moroney Surprises Kenny Chesney During Country Music Hall of Fame Induction
If surprises could be measured in decibels, Megan Moroney just dropped one loud enough to echo through Music City forever. When the Hall of Fame lights came on and Kenny…
If surprises could be measured in decibels, Megan Moroney just dropped one loud enough to echo through Music City forever. When the Hall of Fame lights came on and Kenny Chesney’s name was called, the night already promised emotion. But when Megan Moroney — his tourmate, protégé, and friend — showed up with a surprise tribute, it left Chesney pleasantly speechless.
Kenny Chesney: “I Feel the Gravity of this Moment”
At the 2025 Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Chesney joined other icons like June Carter Cash and Tony Brown. In his speech, he said, “Taking the group shot with a lot of my heroes and a lot of my friends, it was the first time that I have ever felt accomplished in my life. And I just want to thank you, God, for that. … With every cell in my body, I feel the gravity of this moment,” per PEOPLE.
He added, “This dream has allowed me to chase the sun in a bus down the highways. It has allowed me to sit on the bow of boats and chase the sun in the islands.”
Modern Country Stars’ Tributes
Aside from Moroney, Kelsea Ballerini and Eric Church also honored Chesney’s induction. Ballerini performed Chesney’s 2010 song “Somewhere with You.” Mid-performance, she paused to say, “It’s the joy of my life for this man to go from hometown hero to collaborator to family.” Church, who was a last-minute replacement for another artist who couldn’t make it, performed a six-song Chesney medley.
But it was Megan Moroney’s tribute that caught Chesney off guard since he thought she was in Australia. The “Am I Okay?” singer postponed her flight to Australia to appear at the ceremony and perform “Knowing You,” Chesney’s hit from 2021.
Chesney and Moroney’s Friendship
Moroney toured and opened for Chesney during his 2024 Sun Goes Down Tour and has remained friends long after that. She officially taught him about TikTok, and recently, on her birthday, he gave her a vintage 1984 cherry-colored Hummingbird guitar signed by the one and only Dolly Parton. Aside from being tour mates and friends, the duo also released a duet, “You Had to Be There,” early this year.
