If Luke Bryan invites us to crash his party, I guess it's only fair that Charlie Daniels would allow him to crash his.

Daniels and Lipscomb University partnered together Tuesday evening (March 25) for the fifth annual Scholarship for Heroes concert in Nashville. It's a great event that happens every year and an opportunity to celebrate military veterans and raise money for the Veterans Yellow Ribbon education program and veterans' scholarships at Lipscomb University.

Bryan and Lee Greenwood were the surprise guests during the concert that also featured Kellie Pickler, Clint Black, the Grascals, the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters and the American Hitmen.

"The sacrifices these veterans and their families have made help keep our country free," Bryan told the crowd. "We should take care of them in whatever ways that we can, and that includes a good college education."

After the concert, Bryan told CMT Hot 20 Countdown it was a thrill to perform with Daniels.

"This was great being onstage with Charlie," he said. "I've always dreamed of that, and I got to do it tonight, so it was fun. It's crazy being onstage with a living legend, and it was for a great cause, so we're glad to be here."

As for Daniels, the country legend icon was beyond blown away by the support the event continues to receive each year.

"This is about a formal education," Daniels told CMT Hot 20 Countdown. "This is about an education at a fine university, a four-year program to a graduate program. It's about getting a college degree. That's what this program is about.

"Two things protect this country -- the grace of God and the United States military," Daniels continued. "It's been that way since there has been a United States of America. It will be that way as long as there is a U.S.A. We are able to be free, able to raise our families in peace, able to live in a prosperous nation because people have gone and put their lives on the line for us and we owe them. We could never repay them."

For more country music news, tune in to CMT Hot 20 Saturday and Sunday (March 29-30) at 11 a.m. ET/PT.