Mark Chesnutt Admits He Hated His Aerosmith Cover, As Did George Jones
Mark Chesnutt has always been a favorite of traditional country fans, and on Friday (7-8) he releases his latest album, and his first in six years called Tradition Lives. Songs like “Too Cold At Home,” “Brother Jukebox,” and “Blame It On Texas” from early in Chesnutt’s career have since become country music classics, but it was one of Chesnutt’s final hits that has always been one point of consternation among fans—his cover of Aerosmith’s super hit of the late 90’s, and one of the biggest songs on the soundtrack for the movie Armageddon, “I Don’t Want to Miss A Thing.”
The song turned out to be Chesnutt’s final #1 in his career, but for a man who was mostly known for traditional country, it was a controversial decision to say the least. Chesnutt’s country version of the song alienated some of his most loyal fans. But it turns out the song was controversial with Mark Chesnutt as well, and with one of his musical heroes, George Jones.
“George Jones got mad at me for doing that,” Chesnutt tells Sterling Whitaker of Taste of Country. “I don’t blame him. I don’t blame him at all. Here’s this guy singing ‘Bubba Shot the Jukebox,’ ‘Too Cold at Home’ … I’m doing all these country songs, and then all of a sudden, here I am singing with a big-ass orchestra behind me, doing an Aerosmith cover.”
But Chesnutt insists the decision wasn’t his. It was his label’s, and he felt he had to do it or it could spell the end of his career. “I did it because I knew if I didn’t do it, they were gonna push me back on the back burner and I was gonna lose my shot. Then I wouldn’t be on radio anymore. I knew that was gonna happen, so I said, ‘Okay, I’ll do it, just this once.'”
Chesnutt’s experience highlights the challenge many mainstream country artists face, where they’re forced to record songs they don’t like, and sometimes, songs that ultimately hurt their career more than help it.
“It didn’t sell anything. So I asked to leave the label, ’cause when it was time to go back in the studio, there was another pop hit they wanted me to cover. I said no, absolutely not. That made everyone at the label mad at me, and I got the reputation in town of being hard to work with. And once you get that label, then you’re pretty much done.”
Chesnutt’s mainstream career fell off abruptly after that, but he still remains a favorite of true country fans. Chesnutt may no longer be on the radio, but Tradition Lives in his music. Which is a blessing now that Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is making his own “country” music.
July 8, 2016 @ 8:43 am
Hey Folks,
I’ll just put this here because I don’t know where else to put it. It’s hard to know what to do on days like these after a big tragedy. Talking about country music seems so trivial, and frankly it’s hard to find the heart to do it. It isn’t any easier since I happen to be born and raised in Dallas, and Saving Country Music was based there for a while. Honestly, the last thing I want to be doing is talking about country music, but I also don’t want to be one of those outlets that rushes in to exploit a big story for clicks, when I really have no business speaking about it, unless some strange tie to country music arises. So life goes on. Obviously my thoughts like everyone’s are with the victims of the violence, and hopefully music can be a way to healing and more understanding.
July 8, 2016 @ 8:50 am
What big tragedy?
July 8, 2016 @ 9:03 am
Kevin Durant going to the Golden State Warriors. Clearly. 🙂
July 8, 2016 @ 10:13 am
There are some of us who get on the internet to ESCAPE the constant covering of tragedies on cable news such as today’s,so thank you for keeping on.
July 8, 2016 @ 1:16 pm
I appreciate your perspective and probity in this matter Trigger and I think your comment is perfectly appropriate. I am born and raised in Northern California but I went to gradschool in Dallas for four years. I lived just a few blocks from Sons of Hermann Hall and it was in Dallas that I first came to love country music. It seems the city has been in the news a bit more often the last couple of years (Ebola, tornado, this shooting) and none of it for good reasons. It is sad to say the least. Hopefully this will be the end of it…
July 8, 2016 @ 2:41 pm
Thanks soooooooooooo much! ; __ ;
July 8, 2016 @ 7:01 pm
Trigger, like many of us on here I come for the reviews, news and opinions on what’s going on in country music. You are an escape from reality even if it’s for 10 minutes. You introduce many of us to artists we may have never heard of….you keep doing what you do. There is Huff Po and Fox news if I need to politically vent. Thank you for the service you provide to your readers!
July 9, 2016 @ 2:25 pm
You do have reason to acknowledge this story. It’s your blog. It’s your hometown. I left work on 9/11 to go home to watch the horror of the twin towers falling. When it hits that close to home, its all that much worse. My sympathies, K.
July 8, 2016 @ 8:47 am
I went to his acoustic show last year and it was awesome! There was probably 200 people there and he put on a helluva concert.
July 8, 2016 @ 8:56 am
steven tyler is not country at all, no matter what he says, his music is pop and rock and those suit him well.
July 8, 2016 @ 7:13 pm
Whatever one’s opinion of their later career or Steven Tyler’s recent solo exploits, it’s important to remember that Aerosmith is one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all-time. It’s easy to overlook their contributions to American music (and, really, music as a whole) due to how long they’ve been around and that their career as of late has amounted to more embarrassments than successes. Like most bands, they’ve seen their day in the sun come and go, but they’re unique in that it happened TWICE for them (big in the 1970s, fell off in the early ’80s, came back huge in the ’90s). I suppose if Steven Tyler had died or killed himself at the height of their fame that there’d be no end to the praise for them, but they’ve fizzled out. Still, it doesn’t make albums like Get Your Wings, Toys in the Attic, Rocks, Permanent Vacation and Pump any less great or timeless.
Come to think of it, Aerosmith’s career trajectory is almost like country music’s. They started out very authentic: they just wanted to play the music they wanted to play and they wrote all of their own songs (early 1970s). They then entered a period of turmoil (due to drugs) and began to have issues (late 1970s, early 1980s). Thankfully, the ship was righted soon after (mid to late 1980s). However, the corporate machine sucked them up and spat them out as soulless, money-grubbing machines that had lost sight of what they originally stood for (1990s to present). Currently their career prospects are not looking all that great, and most Aerosmith fans are (perhaps pointlessly) hoping for a return to form once more. How’s that for relevant? 🙂
July 9, 2016 @ 3:12 am
Wow, that nailed it. Well done
July 8, 2016 @ 9:05 am
Saw mark at a club in Terrell, Texas helluva show. I too am a Dallas native thoughts and prayers to the victims and their loved ones.
July 8, 2016 @ 9:22 am
Trigger,I too am frm ‘D’. And,as a kid who’s father was a deputy sherif for the Dallas County Sheriffs Dpt for 30 + yrs,my heart goes out to those officers and their families. I don’t want to git/go all political on this site.
I had the privilege to meet Mark Chesnutt at ‘Fan Fair’ 2008. The artist I was wrkn for & MC were plyn the stages on the river. I walked up to em,intro’ myself and said “I’m a really big fan of your music. I think your one of the last great honky-tonk singers of our generation. And,in my opinion, I think Mark Wright ruined your career.” I walked away as I said this and the two guys w/em at the time just strtd laughing. I realize now that was asinine for me to do. But,I AM a fan & just wanted him to know.
July 8, 2016 @ 9:27 am
Longtime fan of Mark’s. Glad he’s still out there making records and waving the flag for country music.
That era of covering pop hits got ugly sometimes. I long considered Jack Ingram’s “Lips of an Angel” to possibly be the worst “country” song I had ever heard. There have, of course, been many challengers to that title over the past few years, so that may no longer apply. But its awfulness remains undisputed.
July 8, 2016 @ 10:16 am
I always appreciated that Mark always brought it/backed up his real singing talent at live shows. The labels and radio seem to decide who they wish to prop up at any given time, but his singing and his songs still hold up today.
July 8, 2016 @ 11:23 am
My first country music concert was a Mark Chesnutt show down in Mobile, Alabama. He still makes some good music. His old stuff is some of the best the 90s had to offer. I will always be a fan!
July 8, 2016 @ 11:55 am
I don’t think its any secret that labels put this kind of pressure on their artists . However if an artist is SERIOUS about a career in MUSIC ….serious in terms of having a vision in terms of what they want to write /record /perform and stand behind this should be something discussed at the contract signing . There is really no excuse , in these times, for it to be otherwise . If you do a ” Band Perry ” midstream , YOU as the artist are the only one to blame either by your concessions IN the initial contract or afterwards . If The Kruze Kids knew they didn’t want to be country and wanted to release that sci-fi genreless stuff they release , great . Let them do it …let them sell truckloads . But if Dierks SAYS he’s country and releases SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH , the label cannot be held accountable as Dierks should have been savvy enough to include a clause in the contract that says I WILL NOT RECORD SHIT TO PLEASE A LABEL . The labels would have you sing nursery rhymes ( which many of these horrible songs are , really ) if they thought it would make money . An artist is completely accountable for buckling to that pressure and shouldn’t be able to excuse themselves with the old ” The Label ( devil ) made me do it ” excuse . There is NO EXCUSE for forsaking your “artistic ” vision and shame on you for blaming a label . Tell it like it is: You need to make money so you’re selling out …..
July 8, 2016 @ 12:10 pm
In going to look for the new Jinks song, I found the new Chestnutt album. Man, what an awesome surprise to hear a full album of just country music done well. Trigger, u gotta listen to ‘Never Been To Texas’; it could be SCM theme song!
Favorites So Far: Is It Still Cheating & Never Been To Texas
July 9, 2016 @ 12:22 pm
I think Jamey Johnson wrote is it still cheating
July 9, 2016 @ 7:32 pm
I am not sure off the top of my head who wrote Is It Still Cheating but Justin Haigh recorded it a while back on his People Like Me Album
July 8, 2016 @ 12:10 pm
I like Chesnutt’s cover of ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’.
July 8, 2016 @ 12:58 pm
^ as do I Cowboyal as do I me thinks that both Jones and Chesnutt himself had a slight overreaction to a cover which by the way is about a thousand times better than Aerosmith’s original!
July 8, 2016 @ 1:23 pm
Chestnut had a early hit of a Todd Snider cover. He must be a alright guy.
July 8, 2016 @ 2:55 pm
You my be thinking of Gary Allan
July 8, 2016 @ 2:56 pm
*may
July 14, 2016 @ 10:28 am
Yes, the song was “Trouble” and it was a pretty decent song too!
July 8, 2016 @ 1:52 pm
I dated his publisist right when this song came out. It’s very true, he didn’t want to do it. But the Jones thing, I wouldn’t be surprised at that.
July 8, 2016 @ 1:53 pm
For the record I do not wish this on Mark Chesnutt whatsoever, I always respected his music and passion for the genre.
With that said, this article reminded me of a thing I listened to on the Lex and Terry Radio Show called “Songs to be removed from the universe” and they brought up a lot of Aerosmith songs but they didn’t bring up this song and I personally cannot tell you how much I want both versions of this song to never exist again, I recently heard Chesnutt’s version on Sirius XM and I just skipped it after 10 seconds and didn’t stay through the first verse. That’s how much I hate this song in general, I don’t care who sings it.
July 11, 2016 @ 7:33 am
Agree with you completely, man. I got to see Aerosmith live 15 years ago. While they put on a hell of a show, the biggest omission from their setlist was my favorite song of theirs: Mama Kin. But you’ll probably guess what other song they did which I’d hoped I wouldn’t have to hear…
July 8, 2016 @ 2:13 pm
This makes no sense.
Country artists have always covered pop and rock hits–and vice versa. Buck (“I Will Sing No Song That Isn’t Country”) Owens covered Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Is Chesnutt’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” any less country than Tracy Byrd’s “Keeper of the Stars,” Lorrie Morgan’s “Something In Red” or George Strait’s “Cross My Heart”?
I also don’t believe that George Jones “got mad at” Chesnutt for recording “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” Jones was in the business long enough and had too much experience to worry about artists’ purity. Heck, Jones was always collaborating with rock and pop acts like Elvis Costello or Keith Richards when his career needed rejuvenation or a fresh angle. I’d bet that Jones would have congratulated Chesnutt for having a #1 hit, as everyone else in the business would have done.
Sounds to me like Chesnutt is bitter or depressed at the fairly swift collapse of his big-league career and might have been drinking when he said some of those things.
July 8, 2016 @ 4:46 pm
I have read in print that George was upset that mark recorded that song….. when mark released somebody save the honkytonks in 2004 he gave nancy jones a copy of it for George and George said thank god my boy is back and not recording that shit anymore….. it most ceartainly is true you can find out for youself if you do some resarch
July 8, 2016 @ 5:31 pm
Yeah, and let’s be honest. George singing with Keef, who has co-written more “Country” songs than FL-GA Line has ever recorded or ever will, is a whole lot more – ok, I’ll say it – AUTHENTIC than a Diane Warren-written-piece of pandering movie soundtrack pop pap that a pop-leaning-hard-rock-jettisoning-in-that-era Aerosmith could ever muster. Mark covering the Stones’ “Dead Flowers” or “Sweet Virginia” would have pleased George, I bet. Covering that shit from a summer blockbuster? Of course not.
Apples and Oranges, in other words.
July 9, 2016 @ 6:43 pm
Sorry, I’d need to see the proof.
The idea that George Jones would be upset because Mark Chesnutt recorded “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” strikes me as ludicrous. Maybe Jones made a joke about it that’s being recounted that way.
And #1 records are hard to come by. (Unless you’re George Strait.) And Chesnutt was not an automatic add when that record came out. Artists and people in the business must have been thrilled for Chesnutt when that hit #1 and must have called to congratulate him.
Here’s an interesting question (and I don’t know the answer): Does Chesnutt sing “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” at his concerts? My guess is that he sings it at every one of them.
July 10, 2016 @ 10:31 pm
mark chesnut and George jones were personal friends both from beumont tx. George took mark out on tour with him very early on why don’t you get on you tube and look at some early chesnutt apearances on Nashville now with George jones they was friends even before he had a record deal. Why must you insist mark is lying??? the bottom line is chesnut was stong armed by his lable and producer to cut a song he didn’t like and George gave him shit over it end of story……
July 11, 2016 @ 6:59 am
I seen him two years ago and he didn’t sing it. I would guess he never sings it live.
November 8, 2023 @ 3:28 pm
On setlist. fm, he is listed as playing the song 11 times. The 21st most-played tune.
If he hated it so much, why play it?
November 8, 2023 @ 4:56 pm
@Knight–Thanks for finding that. I’d say he performed the song because it was a bigh hit–his last!–his fans want to hear it, and it gets a good reaction.
As I noted, on the Youtube video where Chesnutt is complaining about the song and about the clothes that he was told to wear, he looks to be in horrible physical and mental condition. I don’t put a lot of credence in the things he says there.
July 21, 2024 @ 3:03 pm
@luckyoldsun
I agree. I’m a big fan of Mark, but he hasn’t aged well. Recollections are often clouded by regret and revision. At this junction of his career, he can play what he wants.
As much as I love Jones, he became a staunch purist near the end who condemned modern artists for acts he did.
I re-checked the setlist. FM site and while most of his set lists aren’t recorded, he re-started playing “Thing” in 2020 after only playing it three times from 2006-2019.
He was not recorded as playing the song in 2016 (the year of this article).
July 8, 2016 @ 7:17 pm
Since when is Tracy Byrd’s “Keeper of the Stars” a cover? If it is that’s news to me.
July 9, 2016 @ 6:24 pm
I didn’t mean to say it was a cover. In addition to mentioning the Buck Owens cover, I threw in three ’90s country hits by country artists that were as pop–or more so–than Chesnutt’s song.
July 9, 2016 @ 12:27 pm
Jones never recorded with Costello and Richards for a career rejuvenation. That’s bull shit… Jones was/is one of costellos and Richards heroes. Both recorded with him on a George duets album with many famous country and non country singers, by no means was it a career rejuvenation tactic. Both jones duets albums are excellent by the way, my very special guests and Bradley barns sessions
July 9, 2016 @ 6:32 pm
“Bullshit”–Oh, really.?
Jones was trying everything he and his producers could think of back then to get a career rejuvenation–I don’t know why you have a problem with that or find it offensive.. But Jones made that duet album–and another one with just Tammy Wynette. He did “I Don’t Need Your Rocking Chair” with umpteen contemporary stars. He recorded something called “High Tech Redneck.” And he cajoled Garth Brooks to record with him until Garth finally came in for “Beer Run.” Some of the stuff was pretty good.
July 11, 2016 @ 7:15 am
You’re comparing two completely different time periods. Costello duet was in late 70’s. Yes in 90’s, when nearly all of the veteran artists were turned away by radio, the Jones camp looked for career rejuvenation. The most successful were the autobiography, duets, and the Cold Hard Truth album. The “one” album with Tammy was actually a solid album. He really didn’t like “high tech redneck” even though the song had moderate success. The Costello duet and Richards duets were not an attempt at career rejuvenation. Costello wrote “stranger in the house” with Jones in mind, no different than James Taylor writing “Bartender’s Blues” with Jones in mind. Both were released in the late 70’s and both artists were thrilled to have him record the song. The Keith Richards duet on the Bradley Barns sessions, Richards doesn’t ever even sing lead. Great version of White Lightning though. The next Richards duet was also from the Bradley Barns Sessions but went unreleased until 2008, which by that time Jones voice was completely shot and no new music was being recorded.
July 21, 2024 @ 3:06 pm
Yes, we know, it’s OK for legends to collaborate or record songs outside the genre but damn a B-list singer for trying to keep their career flourishing.
July 8, 2016 @ 2:57 pm
I would give anything to go back to 1993 or so to an Aerosmith concert and tell their fans in the parking lot. Now, in 2016 after his American Idol kick, Steven Tyler will launch a solo country career. I’m sure they would think I was higher that they were.
And just FYI I liked Aerosmith.
Again, what do they have to do with country. #FreeForAll
July 8, 2016 @ 3:05 pm
Will you be doing a review of his new album trigger?
July 8, 2016 @ 3:14 pm
It’s definitely on the list, we’ll see. I did an article on this separately because I didn’t want to bury it in my album review.
July 8, 2016 @ 3:22 pm
Unrelated, but you were right about collaborations Trigger. I’m sure you’ve heard/seen the news about Kenny Chesney delaying his album so that Pink be added to one of his tracks. I think I’m much more open to collaborations than you, but when its with a pop-star, it seems like a money grab/play to radio.
July 8, 2016 @ 3:29 pm
Mark chesnutt came to my town of schaumburg illinois last year for septemberfest for a free show. He put an amazing show. Just listend to his new album and damm its probably one of the most traditional contry albums ive heard im a long time. Hope you do a reveiw
July 8, 2016 @ 4:16 pm
Trigger, I read about and saw the news this morning regarding the tragedy in Dallas last night. I can’t at all fathom how someone, or a group of someones, can justify senseless violence against innocent people. What the hell ia happening anymore? We have terrorists infiltrating our country, US citizens who are linked to terrorist organizations and now we have ex-US military to worry about. My heart goes out to the families and who have been affected by this. Seriously. It’s heartbreaking. Regarding Mark Chestnutt, I’m interested to hear his new CD. I lost track of him and glad you mentioned his upcoming offering. Be well in Big D, my man.
July 8, 2016 @ 4:48 pm
I really like most of Mark Chesnutt’s music except for “I don’t want to miss a thing” the song don’t sound like Mark songs and the label pulled his single before that Where ever you are” stopped at #45 which was his worst charting single at the time (first one to miss the top 40) to “I don’t miss a thing” which was his best seller and his final #1.
July 8, 2016 @ 4:49 pm
what a smooth voice.
July 8, 2016 @ 7:21 pm
I don’t think his voice is really anything special in the context of ’90s country (much less the genre’s entire history), but he had a knack for great material. “It’s a Little Too Late” is one of my favorite songs from the era.
As for “I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing”, despite the song’s written-by-committee origins, I don’t think it would make a terrible traditional country song. The problem was that it was a pop song given to a country artist with another pop arrangement. If we had fiddles and steel up front without an orchestra I think this song could work, lyrically. But I don’t guess we’ll ever know, will we?
July 8, 2016 @ 7:59 pm
Typical Diane Warren hack job – indistinguishable from anything else she’s ever written.
July 8, 2016 @ 8:59 pm
Couldn’t agree more Jake . No offense to her personally …but WHY on earth Dianne Warren’s songs are considered so good is totally beyond me . They ARE nearly indistinguishable from each other .
July 8, 2016 @ 8:02 pm
I like Chestnutt’s song “Old Flames Have New Names.” That one’s fun. I think it’s kinda funny that George Jones got mad at him for that. Who are our country music gatekeepers anymore?
July 8, 2016 @ 9:51 pm
I don’t have any Mark Chesnutt or Aerosmith CDs.
I may have to pick up a CD from Mark.
I didn’t know that he sang authentic country music.
July 9, 2016 @ 7:34 am
Check out some of his earlier stuff, I think he has 1 or 2 Greatest Hits albums floating out there still. Normally a lot of artists “Hits” are also some of their weaker efforts, but Chesnutt came about in a period where the opposite was true often (late 80’s/early 90’s). “Too Cold At Home” is and will always be a classic. Same for his cover of “I’ll Think Of Something”. I kinda felt like his stuff got a lot more generic and boring in the late 90’s, right around the era he is speaking about, but since going the independent route he has released a number of really damn good traditional Country music albums. One or two of them are cover albums of classic Outlaw era Country songs, but they are still damn good. Chesnutt is really an example of what guys like Travis Tritt, Tracey Lawrence, etc. SHOULD be doing with their music, rather than too often feeling like they are desperate for one more hit and will record whatever they thing will help them get that.
July 9, 2016 @ 2:37 am
It’s heartbreaking imagining how George Jones would feel, and cope, if he were still alive in this day in age. His emotional health would be devastated by most of what has transpired in the mainstream over the course of these past five years and the gentrification in Nashville! Doubt he would take it well at all, to say the least! =(
I can certainly forgive Chesnutt for covering that song. In truth, “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” isn’t a bad song in its own right. It’s basically to Aerosmith what “It’s Your Love” was to Tim McGraw or “H.O.L.Y.” is to Florida Georgia Line. All of these songs are syrupy, schmaltzy power ballads that say nothing new and are decidedly pedestrian-sounding, but are impossible to hate also due to their sincerity and not coming across as obnoxious. Hardly a song I’ll revisit, but I’ll still take it over many of the recent attempts at power ballads over these past five years that range from the lazy at best (“You Should Be Here”) to the most obnoxious and sleazy (“Take Your Time”).
And, he has since proven he hasn’t lost his touch whatsoever with a solid recent album.
July 9, 2016 @ 10:33 am
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I have trouble swallowing any part of “H.O.L.Y.” The song is just so garish and overwrought that it causes my discomfort to physically manifest. I’d rather listen to any one of FGL’s other songs than that piece of crap, and I mean ANY.
July 10, 2016 @ 3:38 am
Just bought the new CD ” Tradtion Lives ” and man ….does it ever . This thing is terrific top to bottom and Chesnutt’s vocals never sounded better . His performances on these tracks is a veritable clinic in how its done ….NAILS every last phrase and brings tons of character in doing so . Its easy to forget how great some of these guys are ( Stapleton ) when all you hear are the Dierks , the Lukes ,the Aldeans etc who really don’t sing country , much less record country . Chesnutt will send chills down your spine with these performances .
July 10, 2016 @ 7:30 am
I remember seeing an interview back when the song was a hit. He was defending it, saying he didn’t care what people thought and all the right things. Must’ve been tough to have to sing that song night after night if he hated it. So it was a #1, but didn’t sell? Hiw can that be? How does all that stuff work?
July 10, 2016 @ 12:57 pm
Preview of the songs at his youtube channel. Lots of steel guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZiv_CXPRE0
July 11, 2016 @ 8:24 am
I have most of his albums but have not seen him live. My internet station had a track from the 2008 album and the internet station I replaced was behind Saving the Honkytonks. ( BTW the staff had a member of Marks fan club and another had ties to Beumont)