Country icon Willie Nelson kicked off his birthday celebrations last week (18Apr13) by filming a star-studded Tv concert in Nashville, Tennessee.

The singer, who turns 80 on 30 April (13), was the guest of honour at the intimate tribute show, held at Jack White's Third Man Records office space and taped for an upcoming episode of U.S. series CMT Crossroads.

Neil Young, Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones, Jamey Johnson, Ashley Monroe and Leon Russell were among those who paired up for a series of duets in Nelson's honour, and all the guests later returned to the stage for a rousing group rendition of Whiskey River.

Crow then led the crowd in singing Happy Birthday to Nelson, who joked to fans, "Who wants a piece of cake? I hope I can come to your 80th birthday party!"

The CMT Crossroads episode will air in the U.S. in late June (13), and proceeds from the star's birthday party concert in Austin, Texas, on 28 April (13) will be donated to the volunteer fire department in West, Texas, following the town's fertiliser plant explosion which killed 14 people last week (ends21Apr13).