Chesney experiences "amazing feeling"

"It was an amazing feeling," said Chesney. "You just never know... or want to take it for granted. You work as hard as you can, and you hope people notice. But you can never do this for - or expect - awards."

The vote was from fans over the internet. At a post-event press conference, Chesney said he did not think the fans should vote on the award. Rascal Flatts made a concerted effort to get its fans to vote for them, although Chesney made it clear he was not criticizing Rascal Flatts.

"Entertainer is about sacrifice, about the work, about what goes into creating the music, the tour," Chesney said. "For me, I don't want the fans considering how hard we work - or what goes into making this happen. I want them to come out and party with us; I want them to forget their troubles for a couple hours, to have the best time they may have all year and to maybe hear some of my songs on the radio and think, 'Hey, that's my life,' not 'Boy, he sure does put a lot of effort into all of this.' That makes their experience about me, not them, their friends, their lives and this music I've been making."

"I try to be the artist I'd want to see," Chesney explained. "I know what rocked my world, heck, what rocks my world...and I just wanna be that for the fans who've been part of this ride. Their votes mean the world to me...because it means they are living these songs, these summers with us the way I used to with Springsteen, Van Halen, Jackson Browne, Keith Whitley. That's why I do what I do...because I know how powerful that experience can be."

Chesney returns to the road with two nights in Grand Rapids, Mich. May 21-22 and Cleveland's Browns Stadium on May 24. "You know I'm gonna thank 'em every night we're out there, over and over again," said Chesney.