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Exclusive: Chance McKinney’s Tour Diary
The incredible Chance McKinney has toured with basically all our favorite country artists. This summer was no exception as Mr. McKinney toured with the one and only Keith Anderson. With so many tours under his belt, we thought it would be fun to create a sort of tour diary for Chance.
Not to even begin to mention this absolute gem he sent us that we have watched over and over again!
What has this tour with Keith Anderson been like?
From shows to backstage, Keith is hilarious, accommodating and easy to be around. Keith and I thought we’d make our own little “Office-ish” type video one of the last days, and we had a blast doing so. You can see that things don’t always go as planned, but we just roll with it and manage to make a little fun of ourselves along the way. I would love to see us heading back out together again in the future. Our personalities feed off each other, and our shows compliment each other. All in all, that’s kind of the best thing you can hope for when you’re out on the road.
How does packing for tour compare to packing for a normal vacation?
Vacation packing is usually 5 swimsuits, 3 tank tops, flip flops, some sunscreen, hats and wakeboards. Tour packing is completely backwards from that. You determine how many shows you’ve got on the run, then start planning what to wear for each based on the time of day and if the stage will be inside or outside. On the road I’ll throw in one pair of swim trunks – just in case I can find a river along the way and float it with the guys in the band.
What’s your tour bag essentials?
Toiletries are possibly the highest priority of tour packing. If you don’t feel good about yourself, then it’s almost impossible to make everyone who comes to the shows feel good as well. I’d say after that, show clothes (good luck hats) and workout clothes are the next essentials.
What is your go to rest stop snack?
Wasabi, Coconut or Blueberry Almonds, and peppered jerky is pretty good too. But, Oreos and those little chocolate covered donuts are pretty hard to resist.
Do you have any pre show rituals?
Workout and Water. I love to get in a great workout and make sure to hydrate before shows.
Do you typically eat dinner before a performance, after, both or even ever during?
I usually like to eat about 3 hours before performing, and then eat dinner after the show. Post show food tastes about 10x better than normal food for some reason.
Have you ever done any pranks on tour?
Of course, but you have to be pranked first to make sure it’s an acceptable practice. I don’t know if it’s my size (6’6″) that discourages it, or if it’s just we haven’t been out long enough with someone to build that level of comfort. I don’t have that reputation… yet.
Is there a venue or city you’re dying to play?
Tons. Most of them are festivals like Stagecoach, Faster Horses, Watershed, Country Jam, Country Thunder. But, I think Red Rocks Amphitheatre or Tuachan rank right up there for me right now. I’d also love to play CMA Fest on the Riverfront Stage next year – so I’ll keep crankin’ away.
From the second I heard #TakeitBack I KNEW I had to record it! Get a behind the scenes look at the song NOW on my @YouTube! https://t.co/v63dhRirah
— Chance McKinney (@ChanceMcKinney) September 4, 2018
You’ve opened up for some of the greatest country music stars. What’s the best advice they’ve given you?
Two that stand out to me are words from Dierks Bentley and Kenny Chesney. Dierks asked me how far I wanted to go, and how did I plan to get there? While Kenny once told me, “Remember the people you climb over on the way up… because they’ll be the same people you have to deal with on the way down.” Both of those sentiments will resonate with me forever.
Who would be your dream artist to tour with?
Old Dominion or Jake Owen are two of many, and it changes every day. Each artist in country music brings something totally unique to the table. I’d like to tour with a variety of people over my career to help bring out the best of people.
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