Kenny Chesney

Musician Kenny Chesney performs on the Mane Stage during the Stagecoach Music Festival, held at the Empire Polo Field on May 6, 2007 in Indio, California.

As a Sony Music artist, the singer-songwriter has sold more than 30 million albums and scored nearly 40 Top 5 singles, including 23 Number One hits. Among the many awards he's received: the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year Award, in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Chesney's most recent album, "Life on a Rock," hit Number 1 on the Billboard 200 and Country Album charts.

By CBSNews.com senior producer David Morgan

"But is it rewarding? It's more rewarding than all those things combined," Chesney continued. "The moment that I get to go up there on stage and look at all those people in the eye, and they look back at me, and that energy of the crowd and the energy of me and the band and all that passion and energy coming through those speakers -- it never feels like a job, you know? And I hope it never does. It's something that I know I'm very blessed to be able to do and to do it at this level."

Left: Singer Kenny Chesney performs on stage during the 30th Annual American Music Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 13, 2003 in Los Angeles, California.

Left: An undated photo of Kenny Chesney as a young baseball player.

Born in 1968 in Knoxville, Tenn., Chesney is the son of an elementary school teacher and a hair stylist. It wasn't until he graduated from high school that he received his first guitar and began teaching himself to play.

After graduating from East Tennessee State University with a degree in advertising, Kenny Chesney moved to Nashville, where her played at such clubs as The Turf, a honky tonk bar.

Left: An undated photo of young singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney performing in Nashville.

In a 2007 interview with HitQuarters, Troy Tomlinson, President/CEO of Sony/ATV Publishing, recalled meeting Chesney in 1992, upon which he signed him to a songwriting contract. "First of all I was attracted to the songs, because I thought that he painted great pictures in his lyrics, particularly for someone who had not been around the typical Music Row co-writes. I thought that he sang very well, too. But more than anything there was a kind of this 'I will do it' look in his eyes. I was really drawn in by the fact that he was so set on being successful in this business."

Kenny Chesney's first studio album, "In My Wildest Dreams" (1994, from Capricorn Records), produced two Billboard hits: "Whatever It Takes" and "The Tin Man." From his fourth album, "I Will Stand" (1997, BNA Records), Chesney earned his first Billboard Country Number 1 hit: "She's Got It All."

To date, Chesney has recorded 15 albums and released four compilations.

Chesney also loves the Caribbean and there is an island vibe in much of his music. Like Jimmy Buffet, Chesney sells a beach party lifestyle his fans embrace.

"I do sell fun. I know we do that. There's no doubt about it," Chesney told Anderson Cooper of "60 Minutes" in 2007. "And I will admit that I have allowed my love for the tropics to get into my music."

Left: Singer Kenny Chesney performs onstage at the 2007 CMT Music Awards at the Curb Event Center at Belmont University April 16, 2007 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Musicians Toby Keith, Willie Nelson and Kenny Chesney perform at the 39th Annual Country Music Awards on May 26, 2004 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Musician Kenny Chesney hugs Tim McGraw as Dolly Parton looks on, at the 38th Annual CMA Awards at the Grand Ole Opry House November 9, 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee. Chesney received the Entertainer of the Year Award.

Singer Ashanti (center) poses backstage at a concert with singer Kenny Chesney (right) and rapper Ja Rule at Crobar November 23, 2004 in New York City.

Kenny Chesney performs on stage at the CMT Music Awards April 11, 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Musician Kenny Chesney, winner of the Entertainer of the Year Award, poses in the press room at the 40th Annual Academy Country Music Awards at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on May 17, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Country western singer Kenny Chesney entertains guests after an official White House dinner hosted by President George W. Bush for Australian Prime Minister John Howard May 16, 2006 in Washington, D.C.

Country artist Kenny Chesney performs during the 41st Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards All-Star Jam held at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on May 23, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Singer Kenny Chesney performs onstage at the 2006 CMT Music Awards at the Curb Event Center at Belmont University April 10, 2006 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Musicians Kenny Chesney and George Strait perform during rehearsals for the 43rd Academy of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Country music singer Kenny Chesney sings as U.S. President George W. Bush listens after unveiled the new "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" postage stamp, during a White House All-Star tee ball game July 16, 2008 at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. The stamp was issued to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the unofficial anthem of baseball.

Singer Kenny Chesney accepts the Entertainer of the Year Award from singer Barbara Mandrell, at the 40th Annual CMA Awards at the Gaylord Entertainment Center November 6, 2006 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Singers Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban pose backstage at the 2006 CMT Music Awards at the Curb Event Center at Belmont University April 10, 2006 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Actress Eva Longoria and musician Kenny Chesney high-five in the audience during the 33rd Annual People's Choice Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on January 9, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.

From left: J.D. Souther, Kenny Chesney, Jackson Brown and Keith Anderson attend the 47th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards at the Ryman Auditorium on October 19, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Musicians Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews perform onstage during the 43rd Annual CMA Awards at the Sommet Center on November 11, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Musician Kenny Chesney (center) performs onstage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 24, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney performs at the Bayou Country Superfest 2010 at LSU Tiger Stadium, May 30, 2010 in Baton Rouge, La.

Singers Kenny Chesney and Lionel Richie perform onstage during "Lionel Richie and Friends in Concert," presented by ACM held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 2, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Kenny Chesney performs for the American Express "Unstaged" Livestream Music Series in partnership With VEVO and YouTube, at Wildwood Beach on June 20, 2012 in Wildwood, New Jersey.

Musician Kenny Chesney performs during the Brothers of the Sun tour at MetLife Stadium on August 11, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

After the April 2013 Boston Marathon attacks, Kenny Chesney created the Spread the Love fund, raising money for the victims of the bombings, such as Adrianne Haslet, a dancer who lost a foot in the blast.

"You go and sit down with these people whose lives have been changed instantly and really through no fault of their own . . . I left there, honestly, inspired by their stories and what they go through on a day-in and day-out basis now," Chesney told CBS News' Don Dahler.

"I use sports analogies a lot. When you're playing sports, as in life, you're faced with adversity every day. And you don't know where it's gonna come from or how. But they are the definition, the people that I talked to, and especially the hospital staff. I could tell that they really appreciated the fact that we're doing what we're doing.

"I do believe that music has the ability to give people hope, to heal people. I think music is the most powerful thing that we have. I think sports and music bring people together like nothing else does."

Singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney performs during Kenny Chesney's "No Shoes Nation," on Zac Brown's Southern Ground Tour, at the Georgia Dome on August 3, 2013 in Atlanta, Ga.

For more info:
kennychesney.com
Spread the Love (Boston Medical Center)
To donate to the Spread the Love fund click here
Follow Kenny Chesney on Facebook and on Twitter

By CBSNews.com senior producer David Morgan