Overrated Kenny Chesney, new talent Kasey Musgraves take stage tonight in Boise

Kacey and Kenny

I took a break from #barprep13 to drive to Boise last night (to check out the Wyakin Warrior Foundation's open house). On the way there, I heard a commercial for Kenny Chesney's concert today. I knew the show was coming, but what I didn't know was Kacey Musgraves is opening for Kenny and Eli Young Band.

I wish I had known this sooner, I would have rethought my life choices and considered checking out the show. But probably not.

I've seen Kenny twice and wasn't impressed either time. If there was a Country Music Association or Academy of Country Music award for the most overrated artist, Kenny Chesney should win it every year until they just name the award after him.

He's an artist that has had a lot of success, but has let it all gone to his head and then some. No matter how good you think Kenny Chesney might be, he thinks he's a bigger deal than that. And the thing is, he's not even that good of an artist. He's mostly made his career picking songs that will be solid radio singles. Then he goes into the recording studio and records them.

It's true his songs resonate with a large part of his audience, and that's most of what being an artist is about, but when's the last time he took a risk on any song? Guys like Brad Paisley and Toby Keith continue to take country music to new places. Kenny's been doing this a long time and hasn't done anything other than what he's always done: pick songs that sound good on the radio.

Also, think of your favorite Kenny Chesney song. Would that song sound different if any other artist had sung it instead? Probably not. He's really not a strong vocalist. What's the best thing you can say about his voice? That it doesn't suck? That it's better than average? That it can carry a tune?

Imagine what your favorite Brooks and Dunn song would sound like if anyone other than Ronnie Dunn had sung the words. You'd be disappointed at the drop off in performance. Imagine what the song " DONE" would sound sung by anyone other than Kimberly Perry. The tone of that song was written to match the tone of Kimberly's voice. Now imagine again what your favorite Kenny song would sound sung by anyone else. It's easy to do because there is nothing remarkable about his voice and he picks such safe songs that literally any other artist could have the same success with the same singles.

No one has spent more time on the road the past decade than Kenny Chesney, which means no one should have a better road show than him. Well, other than Taylor Swift because she pretty much lives every eight-year-old's fantasy on stage every night and then some. But somehow, he continues to under impress.

The first time I saw him was in 2003 with Deana Carter and Keith Urban. I left the show not understanding why Keith wasn't the headliner; he was clearly the better performer of the night. I saw him again in 2008. This time he was with LeAnn Rimes and we drove to Portland for the show. The girl I was dating at the time wanted to see him and I thought it might be my last chance to see LeAnn Rimes, who I had had a crush on at 14, before she went on the casino circuit.

So we drove to Portland and Kenny appeared to be completely drunk. He was slurring the words and making up new lyrics to his songs as he went along. Maybe he wasn't drunk, I don't know, but the tour was sponsored by Corona Light. The dots looked pretty easy to connect in the audience that night.

So when I heard he was coming to Boise again, I didn't pay any attention to any of the tour publicity, which is how I missed Kacey Musgraves was opening his tour.

I'm a big Kacey Musgraves fan. The lyrics of her debut single were too fun not to notice:

'Cause mama's hooked on Mary Kay.

Daddy's hooked on Mary two doors down.

Then I listened to her debut album, "Same Trailer Different Park." What a great title. She uses just four words to say so much. That pretty much sums up her style. Her songs are jam packed with meaningful and powerful lyrics backed up by what will surely become her trademark modern-take-on-tradition sound.

Her lyrics are honest. And fun. She's not afraid to take on real issues. You're definitely listening to a real person in her songs. In fact, it sounded like such a real person coming out of her album that I actually thought she seemed like the kind of girl I would have wanted to get drunk and make out with back in my drinking and running amuck days. Then I googled her. She definitely wouldn't have gotten drunk and made out with me.

Her second single, "Blown' Smoke" just hit airwaves, but she's no stranger to success. In February, she was nominated for four ACMs, including Female Vocalist of the Year. Earlier this month, Miranda Lambert took "Moma's Broken Heart," to the top of the charts, a song Kacey wrote and sung back up on as a condition to letting Miranda cut the single. She also co-wrote a song used on "Nashville," " Undermine."

At this point in her career, Kacey Musgraves isn't just blown' smoke. She's smoking.