On Wednesday night (Nov. 2), all eyes were on Kenny Chesney as he was honored with the third ever Pinnacle Award from the Country Music Association.
According to the Association, the award “recognizes an artist who has achieved global prominence through concert performances and record sales at levels unique in country music. The artist has also attained the highest degree of recognition within the broad expanse of music worldwide. The artist’s talent and presence will have a long-term positive impact on the appreciation of Country Music for generations to come”.
It was awarded to Garth Brooks in 2005 and to Taylor Swift in 2013. Chesney is well-deserved of this honor after 17 albums, eight CMA awards, four being the coveted Entertainer of the Year award, and 156 sold out stadium shows over the years.
Legendary NFL quarterback and huge Kenny Chesney fan, Peyton Manning, said a few words before handing the award to the singer. The camera kept cutting to Chesney’s reactions as he embraced and kissed the beautiful woman standing next to him before he went onstage to accept his award.
She stole his spotlight because no one knew who she was! Chesney had previously revealed he is currently in a relationship. He told Country Countdown USA’s Lon Helton what he did after his Spread The Love Tour wrapped up.
“Since the tour was over, I traveled a little bit. I went to the Islands, and my girlfriend and I went to Italy,” he said, before telling a story of how he dropped his phone in the water.
His girlfriend is Mary Nolan, but not much else is known about her. From digging around the Internet, it seems they have been together for quite some time and she has accompanied him to many awards shows.
Here they are at the 2014 American Country Countdown Awards.
According to Taste of Country, the first events she attended with him were the 2012 CMT Artist of the Year event and the 2012 CMA Awards.
Watch the clip from the CMAs below.