Singer, songwriter, author, superstar and philanthropist Kenny Chesney has been named the Los Angeles Press Club’s 2026 Public Service Awardee.
“We are truly delighted to have multi-talented Kenny Chesney accepting the Los Angeles Press Club’s 2026 Public Service Award,” said Press Club President Danny Bakewell, Jr. “Mr. Chesney’s superstar status is only part of this great humanitarian’s life. Away from the limelight, he has continuously provided generous support for numerous charities and causes. The only thing bigger than the man’s talent is his enormous heart.”
Preferring to keep much of his charity work anonymous, the East Tennessee songwriter has been quietly involved in hurricane recovery in the Caribbean and coastal areas, ocean stewardship and dog rescues. He has also provided aid for amputee survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing and local charities across the country. Songs for the Saints, with guests Ziggy Marley, Jimmy Buffett and Mindy Smith, was recorded to celebrate the spirit of the people of St. Thomas and St. John.
“I think how we live and what we give, but also the way we help others, is so important,” Chesney offers. “In my music, I try to spread as much positive energy and heart as I can. Bringing people together, no matter what they believe, creates communities, heals people and reminds us how much we can do when we work together.”
Chesney is one of contemporary American music’s biggest names. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2025, he was Billboard’s No.1 Country Artist of the 21st Century and is the only country artist in Pollstar’s Top 10 Touring Acts of the Millennium. Selling out America’s major stadiums for two decades, Variety pronounced him “country music’s only true long-term stadium act.” He was also the first solo artist and country act to headline Las Vegas’ Sphere, where he is in the middle of a 2026 residency.
Heart Life Music, released in November 2025, debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times‘ Hardcover Nonfiction and Combined E-Book and Hardcover Nonfiction lists, where it spent seven consecutive weeks. Named one of William Morrow’s Centennial Books of Distinction, Chesney called his book “a love letter to the journey,” which captures the way dreams were once built in Nashville.
Carry On, his first single for Hey Now Records, marked another first for the soft-spoken performer: 158 out of 158 reporting radio stations all began playing it in its very first week. This is only the third time this has happened.
The Public Service Award will be presented at the 68th SoCal Journalism Awards Gala on Sunday, June 28, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel DTLA.
The full Line-up is as follows:
Kenny Chesney — The Bill Rosendahl Public Service Award for Contributions to Society
Rob Fukuzaki, ABC7 — The Joseph M. Quinn Award for Lifetime Achievement
Maria Ressa, Rappler — The Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism
Craig Melvin, NBC — The President’s Award for Impact on Media
Carol Sobel — The Guardian Award for Contributions to Press Freedom
The SoCal Journalism Awards Gala is a fundraiser for this 501 (c) (3) charitable organization and makes it possible for us to fund our educational programming, mentorship program for young journalists from underserved communities, provide grants for investigative journalism, defend the First Amendment, give out scholarships and more. All contributions are tax-deductible.
For more information about this event or to sponsor, advertise or buy tickets, go to www.LApressclub.org or contact Executive Director Diana Ljungaeus at 310.210.1860 or email Diana@LApressclub.org.
The LAPC is one of the oldest and most respected journalist organizations in the nation, with a storied history of honoring the most celebrated reporters of the past century. In recent years, the Los Angeles Press Club has continued to uphold its tradition of acknowledging excellence in spite of the fact that journalism itself has struggled in the face of ever-declining budgets.
Photo credit: Danny Clinch
