Country legend Charlie Daniels celebrated his 80th birthday in style this year. He combined his annual Volunteer Jam with a major birthday bash, and invited some of his closest friends to join him in the celebration on Wednesday (November 30)
Of course, Daniels’ friends all happen to be major music stars, including Chris Stapleton, Travis Tritt, and Luke Bryan. But the night wasn’t exclusively dedicated to country music. Rock band 3 Doors Down was included in the lineup, along with genre-crossing artist Kid Rock.
Rock has performed in almost every genre imaginable, from blues, to hip hop, to country. With the release of hit country songs such as “Picture” and “All Summer Long,” Rock has earned a place as a welcome member of the country music community. So that’s why it honestly came as no surprise when he showed up to perform and wish Daniels a happy birthday at his Volunteer Jam.
Out of his many hits, Rock’s “All Summer Long” is one of his most recognizable. The song samples Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London,” giving it a catchy sound. Audiences can easily to relate to the song’s fun-lovin’ lyrics, as Rock reflects on the summers of his youth and the girl he loved at the time.
Since “All Summer Long” is such a crowd-pleaser, Rock knew he couldn’t get away without performing it at Daniels’ birthday bash. The crowd went wild as soon as they heard the song’s opening notes, just as you’d expect.
Rock made sure to work the stage as he sang, and moved from side to side to keep everyone in the room engaged. He wanted to make sure everyone in the audience was having the time of their lives, and based on their reactions, it looks like they were!
To sum it all up, Rock’s performance was on fire. As much fun as the crowd had watching him, it’s clear that Rock was also having a blast singing up there on stage.
“Happy Birthday Charlie!” Rock yelled above the crowd’s frantic shouts at the end of the song. “God bless Mr. Daniels. God bless Tennessee. Have a great night!”
If you weren’t able to snag a ticket to the Volunteer Jam, you’re in luck. You can watch Rock’s full performance of “All Summer Long” in the clip below. Just from this performance alone, it looks like Daniels had one rockin’ birthday celebration!