Kenny Chesney Performs Despite Painful Injury

Nothing keeps Kenny Chesney from performing to an arena full of over 44,000 expectant fans -- not even an excruciating leg injury. At the beginning of the country star's concert in Columbia, South Carolina on Saturday, his foot became lodged in the lifting device that is used to raise him onto part of the stage in the middle of the audience. It took more than 40 seconds for him to free his foot, while his band continued to play.

Once free, Chesney held his knee while he started to sing, continuing on with his full show. He limped through his full set of songs in seemingly obvious pain, yet he never took a break and never mentioned his injury to the audience.

"All I know is I didn't want to disappoint anyone in Columbia, who'd been out in the parking lots since the day before," said Chesney. "If they were having that kind of a party, I was gonna be there."

Chesney's knee and toes were treated immediately after the Columbia show for hematoma. When he returned to Nashville, his own doctors gave him permission to continue his Poets and Pirates tour, just with a little more caution.

"Dr. Elrod got that the last thing I want to do is cancel shows, but also that I don't want any kind of lasting damage . . . because being able to hit that stage and really rock the fans is important to me," Chesney explained. "He told me it's going to hurt -- though nothing could hurt worse than Saturday I don't think -- and they can give me something to deaden the pain when I get out there."

The 'Poets and Pirates' Tour continues in Austin, Texas this Thursday.