Who Is Kenny Chesney's Girlfriend, Mary Nolan?
Country musician Kenny Chesney is known in the entertainment world for more than just his ability to string together a killer tune. He and his ex-wife Renee Zellweger annulled their marriage after just four months in 2005, making it one of the shortest-lived unions in country marriage history. Because Zellweger listed "fraud" as her reasoning behind dissolving the marriage, rumors swirled about Chesney's sexuality. In a 2007 interview with "60 Minutes" (via HollywoodLife), the musician debunked the gossip, explaining, "No, I'm not gay, but I didn't want to draw any more attention to it. I didn't have to prove to anybody that I wasn't. I didn't feel like I really did."
Perhaps because of the media circus surrounding him, Chesney has chosen to keep his private life under wraps. "One of the reasons I'm so private is when my life started to change and people started caring at a different level, the only thing I could keep to myself was the intimate details of my life," he told Billboard. Therefore, it tracks that little is known about Chesney's current girlfriend, Mary Nolan. The couple — who have been dating since 2012 — have been spotted at award shows together but don't give much insight into their relationship. Additionally, Nolan isn't a celebrity herself, so she's easily able to keep a low profile. It's suspected Nolan and Chesney met at one of his concerts nearly a decade ago, but what do we really know about the woman who has captured his heart?
Mary Nolan and Kenny Chesney share a love of animals
Mary Nolan is believed to be a model, singer, and dancer, though she keeps her name out of the limelight. While the two are believed to have met at one of Chesney's concerts, it's unclear whether Nolan was there as a performer or a fan. However, her singing background means that she and Chesney have plenty to talk about. And vocal talent isn't the couple's only commonality, as the two share a love of animals. When Chesney mourned the passing of his beloved dog Ruby on Instagram in 2022, he revealed that Nolan played a pivotal role in Ruby's life. "She is forever grateful that Mary saved her from the shelter. But really they ended up saving each other," the musician wrote. Chesney's love for Ruby was such that he immortalized his pet in a song titled "Da Ruba Girl," with proceeds going to benefit Stray Rescue of St. Louis, per Country Living. He and his girlfriend also share another dog named Poncho.
In addition to loving similar things, Nolan has been on hand to support Chesney at various award shows over the years. In 2014, she was pictured with Chesney and Luke Bryan at the American Country Countdown Awards. Nolan was also on hand to congratulate her boyfriend in 2016 at the Country Music Association awards, where Chesney picked up the Pinnacle Award, one of the music industry's highest honors.
Has Mary Nolan changed Kenny Chesney's outlook on love?
As of 2022, some media outlets began speculating that Kenny Chesney and Mary Nolan had tied the knot in secret. Due to the couple's focus on privacy, it's hard to know for sure. But what we do know is that Chesney's life has dramatically changed since he began dating Nolan. Prior to their relationship, Chesney admitted to being a playboy. "Man, I was over 100 several years ago," the Grammy-nominated artist told Playboy Magazine in 2009 regarding the number of women he had been with. (via TODAY). "I can't believe I'm actually saying this on the record: That was probably back in 2001. I had a good time in college, I really did." He continued, "There were years when I had a better summer than A-Rod, buddy. ... I got on the boards quite often." Could Chesney have been overcompensating due to the rumors about his sexuality? Potentially. But it does seem like the country singer had trouble committing – something he alluded to after he and Zellweger divorced.
This no longer seems to be the case. Currently, Chesney and Nolan have been together for over a decade, and children may be in their future. "I hope I have kids one day," he told Parade in 2010, though it wasn't something he was looking for at the time. But perhaps it's in the cards now that he's found the right person.