“I couldn’t believe that I was the guy that got to go out and sing this song every night for the rest of my life,” is what country star Kenny Chesney said when he heard Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher’s tune “There Goes My Life” for the first time. Kenny gave the songwriter his due when he brought Wendell onstage at the CMA Awards to sing a heartfelt duet on the tale of coming to terms with fatherhood as a teen. The love Kenny gave to Wendell and the song throughout the viral duet was too sweet.
There’s just something about the original songwriter singing his own song straight from the heart that you can’t get anywhere else. Wendell opened the performance with such a heartbreaking vocal, and then Kenny brought the thunder in the second verse. Kenny said that as soon as he heard the song, he instantly recognized that it was an incredibly special song. The Music Man has to say Kenny’s instinct there was spot on. What powerful emotions Wendell and Kenny bring to the table throughout this performance.
Wendell Mobley uploaded his “There Goes My Life” duet with Kenny to his YouTube channel, where it hit 10.6 million views. Viewers gave props for the touching duet and added comments such as “Wendell you should be singing your own songs. Your voice is awesome brother” and “As a father. I cannot listen to this song without crying.”
“There Goes My Life” is always a highlight of Kenny Chesney’s live shows. For his album Live in No Shoes Nation, the Tennessee star delivered a gorgeous live rendition of the ballad. It’s quite interesting hearing Wendell’s version back to back with Kenny’s take on the song. Wendell sings such an intimate and personal version, with more of a folk feel. Kenny has a more traditional mainstream country sound, while delivering a honeyed and powerful vocal.
Neil Thrasher and Wendell penned “There Goes My Life.” It was first recorded by Kenny and released on October 20, 2003, as the first single from his eighth studio album When the Sun Goes Down. Before performing “There Goes My Life,” Kenny noted that he was at first hesitant to record the song, implying that he thought perhaps Wendell should have recorded it himself rather than giving it to Kenny. However, it seemed that Wendell, Neil, and Kenny’s collaboration bore fruit, as Kenny’s version of “There Goes My Life” went triple Platinum in the US.