For a singer who's been recognized as a pure country traditionalist, Mark Chesnutt somehow manages to broaden the definition of traditional country music. "I've never had a strictly traditional album," he reflects. "People don't understand that. I've only had a couple of really hard country songs – 'Brother Jukebox,' 'Bubba Shot The Jukebox.' I've already probably done the best country song I'll ever sing, 'Too Cold At Home'."

"All of my albums have Cajun songs, swing songs, love songs, ballads, rockin' country songs. Everything on 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing' has an attitude about it." He's dedicated to moving away from labels and focusing on great music. "In my first bio, I said my goal was to be the greatest country singer ever, and I got labeled 'country singer.' That was cool 10 years ago, but now, there ain't nobody strictly country anymore. I don't want to be called just a great country singer. I want folks to say, 'He's a great singer.'"

Mark Chesnutt is also a great entertainer, as evidenced by his rollicking, high energy stage show. More than ten years on the road have given him the knowledge of what makes a great concert. He's become a symbol of pure honky-tonk, with a repertoire of danceable songs with wry lyrics. Yet he also manages to wrap his Haggardesque vocals around the most tender of tunes, changing the mood at a moment's notice and captivating audiences with unexpected touches.

"I like to sing a George Jones song and turn around and sing a rock 'n' roll song," he teases. "We have a lot of fun on stage. I could go out and buy an expensive stage with fireworks and heavy-metal-rock-star lights, but I take my music a little more seriously than that. Still, that doesn't mean I'm going to stand in one spot and sing ballads all night."

When it comes to recording, Chesnutt refuses to compromise with songs that fall just short of hit potential. Integrity is a key ingredient to a Mark Chesnutt project. "I'd rather miss a deadline than put out an album that didn't have all good songs on it," he says. "I hope people see that. It's a good quality to have."

And while many automatically think that a Chesnutt CD will be limited to the best country traditions, he's hoping to change that perception. "I'm proud that people think I'm the keeper of the flame," he says. "It makes me feel good. But that's not all I can do. I can branch out. I want to reach a broader audience."

Mark Chesnutt reflects on his career. "To tell you the truth, I haven't changed a bit," he concludes. "I am just singing better songs and really concentrating on being better at what I do. I plan to be here for another 10 or 15 years. I want to be an old gray-haired singer, still out here working!"

The real deal? Absolutely. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, Mark Chesnutt is a constant when it comes to shaping the boundaries of country music's rich traditions.