Kenny Chesney paid tribute to his late dog on Sunday (July 16), sharing a beach photo on Instagram of the moment he was “spreading Ruby’s love on the West Coast.” Chesney announced in December that his dog, Ruby (“Da Ruba Girl”) had died after a long battle with cancer. He shared at that time:
“Ruby lived her life never holding anything against anybody. She had an ancient, calming soul. She was honest and authentic, she was a protector, she took a warrior’s path in the journey of her life. Ruby loved the sun and how it felt on her face. She and I had that in common. Today I know Ruby is sitting somewhere with the sun on her face happy and grateful to have slipped her skin and body that was full of cancer. I know she is happy to have had Poncho in her life. They were partners in crime and never spent a day apart. But she is forever grateful that Mary saved her from the shelter. But really they ended up saving each other. I’m going to miss her, especially in the mornings. That’s when she and I really connected. So bye-bye, Ruby. You were a very good girl. We loved you and thank you for teaching us how to love unconditionally. You were one heaven of a dog.”
Days later, Chesney announced a new effort to help rescue dogs in Ruby’s honor. He explained that he’d written a song several years earlier about Ruby and what she meant to him, and had heard many requests to make the song available. Chesney released “Da Ruba Girl” to all streaming platforms in December, and pledged that all proceeds from the song will go to Stray Rescue of St. Louis.
“Losing Ruby has left a hole there are no words for…” Chesney wrote on his social media channels when the song released. “To honor her life, it only makes sense to let ‘Da Ruba Girl,’ the song she inspired, pay it forward by helping the incredible people at [Stray Rescue of St. Louis]. Ruby was everything good, and in her memory, this is her way of continuing to give and bring love where it’s most needed.”