Megan Moroney Transforms a Full-Circle Experience With Kenny Chesney Into Their Joint Single, ‘You Had To Be There’

Moroney recently revealed that the track came to life during a songwriting getaway in Florida.

Megan Moroney will always cherish her experience opening for Kenny Chesney on his Sun Goes Down Tour in 2024. It’s one of those moments that’s difficult to fully grasp unless you’ve been through it, which is precisely why she felt compelled to express her emotions through her new single, “You Had To Be There,” featuring Chesney himself.

The song came to life during a December 2024 writing retreat with Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Micah Carpenter, right after Moroney finished her stint on the tour. She describes that experience as “a pivotal point” in her career and a “highlight” of her life.

Still riding high from the experience, she was eager to find a way to articulate just how meaningful that opportunity was, especially when reflecting on her college years, sitting in the upper levels of a Kenny Chesney concert and dreaming of performing on that stage one day. “You Had To Be There” became her way of expressing that full-circle moment.

“I knew I had to write a song about this experience, but we were on the beach in Florida when Micah started playing something that had a vibe similar to a Kenny song. I thought, ‘That sounds just like a Kenny Chesney track,'” she shared on The Bobby Bones Show. “I already had the title, ‘You Had To Be There,’ which came from trying to describe the tour to someone who wasn’t there. I was like, ‘I can’t even put it into words, but it was the best summer of my life.'”

They ended up crafting the second verse with Chesney’s voice in mind, and by the time the song was complete, Moroney thought it would make the perfect Christmas gift for her country star colleague.

“I had no idea what to get him for Christmas since he has everything,” she explained. “So, for my end-of-tour gift, I made him a scrapbook because, honestly, what do you get someone like Kenny Chesney?”

Moroney got creative and handwrote the lyrics, giving the gesture an even more personal feel. However, when she approached Chesney, she did so with no expectations, making it clear that if he wasn’t a fan of the song, there was no pressure to include it on the record.

“I didn’t want him to feel bad if he didn’t like it. I know he cares about me, so I told him upfront, ‘If you don’t like this, it’s just my way of expressing how I feel about the tour and how thankful I am that you took me on the road. We don’t have to do anything with the song—you can keep it to yourself. I just wanted to write the lyrics for you.’ And he ended up loving it,” she shared.

For Chesney, it was an easy decision to say “yes,” as he was deeply touched and proud that someone had written such a meaningful song inspired by him.

“Nobody has more fun, works harder, is more creative, or pranks me harder than Megan,” says Chesney. “When she called to ask if I’d sing on a song she wrote about me, I had to pause. No one’s ever written a song about me, but no one’s ever ridden a tiny kid’s tractor down my T-shirt while wearing my clothes either.”

“The answer was always going to be yes. But what a privilege to be part of a song so well-crafted, with so much heart, and so true to the moment. Touring with Megan last year, she really gives her all in everything she does. With her, you really do have to be there.”

The Georgia native begins the song by reflecting on her days as a Chesney fan, recalling the excitement she felt as she and her friends prepped to head to their high-up seats at the concert.