The Volunteer Jam was the annual Charlie Daniels Band concert first held on October 4, 1974 at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee with band members Barry Barnes (guitar), Taz Digregorio (keyboards), Mark Fitzgerald (bass), Gary Allen (drums) and Freddy Edwards (drums). This was the beginning of a tradition.

The 2nd Volunteer Jam was released in the form of a movie. It was billed as the "First Southern Rock movie," even appearing in theaters across the US. The movie was re-released on DVD in 2007. Regulars at the Nashville Volunteer Jam concerts included the late George McCorkle, Jimmy Hall, Dickie Betts, Henry Paul, Dobie Gray, the late Toy Caldwell, drummer Gary Peacemaker, and others.

In 1979, Lynyrd Skynyrd reunited for the first time since the 1977 plane crash, with several members of the Charlie Daniels Band. CDB keyboardist Taz Digregorio took lead vocals on "Call Me The Breeze" followed by an extended instrumental version of "Free Bird." In 1987 Lynyrd Skynyrd returned to the stage for only the second time, also at the Volunteer Jam.

Each of the Nashville concerts featured a long list of special guests appearing onstage with Charlie and his band including Ted Nugent, The Allman Brothers Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, Billy Joel, Garth Brooks, Billy Ray Cyrus, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tammy Wynette, Roy Acuff, Carl Perkins, Alabama, Don Henley, Barefoot Jerry and many more. Many of these concerts were broadcast live on the radio. The Volunteer Jam on nationwide TV included a live broadcast on the Jerry Lewis Telethon and a Dick Clark produced network special.

A "Volunteer Jam Tour" including the Charlie Daniels Band, The Outlaws and the Marshall Tucker Band toured the United States in 2007. The Nashville show scheduled for May 19, 2007 was cancelled, due to the closing of Nashville's Starwood Amphitheater

On April 11-12, 2008 Volunteer Jam was held at the Island Resort and Casino in Harris, Michigan. The concert featured Shooter Jennings and .38 Special.

On April 25, 2008 the Volunteer Jam tour visited Fayetteville, AR for the First Annual Dickson Street Music Festival, also featuring Shooter Jennings and .38 Special.

Volunteer Jam is also the name of a series of albums released by Charlie Daniels of performances from the late 1970s and early 1980s at the Volunteer Jam shows.

External links

• Volunteer Jam - Volunteer Jam page, with memorabilia from past Nashville Tennessee Volunteer Jam concerts