Kenny Chesney to Take Concert Stage During NCAA Final Four

Kenny Chesney is one of the highest-grossing concert performers in any genre, but that doesn't mean he isn't willing to sing for free for the right occasion.

The sports enthusiast will headline the NCAA Final Four Capital One JamFest in Houston on Sunday, April 3. The concert caps off three days of free music and entertainment as part of the Big Dance Concert Series, held at Discovery Green in downtown Houston. Kings of Leon are slated to take the stage on April 2, with more artists expected to be announced soon.

Kenny isn't the only country music star providing entertainment for basketball fans this season. Kellie Pickler will perform in Indiana the same weekend for the Women's Final Four basketball tournament festival.

The upcoming Houston gig is just one part of Kenny's plan to return to the concert arena in 2011. The five-time ACM nominee is hitting the road this year for his Goin' Coastal tour, after taking 17 months away from the spotlight.

"I do feel like I've had time off," he tells The Boot. "I don't feel like I've stopped, but I've mentally had time off from the things that I needed mentally time away from, and I'm ready to go back out. I've missed the energy. I've missed the excitement. I've missed the anticipation of the first note every night ... It's an exciting time for all of us. To go out there and the love affair that I feel like we experience with the fans is second to none. And that's the reason that I wanted to take a break too, because I felt like I had to protect that at any cost, and now we're ready to go back."

Kenny's tour, which includes opening acts Billy Currington and Uncle Kracker, as well as the Zac Brown Band on his stadium dates, kicks off on March 17 in West Palm Beach, Fla. See his complete schedule here.