Thousands will attend the Suwannee River Jam to see nearly a dozen famous country music artists.

But there's one local teen battling cancer who got his wish to meet one of those performers.

It's like 18-year-old Cory Smith from Mayo is getting his own private concert by hit country artist Colt Ford.

Smith said, "The songs he sings and everything else is like the hunting channel. He likes hunting and everything. It was just an honor to meet him."

Smith was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2007.

But, from the smile on his face, you'd never know he just found out chemotherapy didn't work and that his cancer is growing.

His aunt, Belinda Sanchez, got the ball rolling for Smith to meet Ford, and while Ford practiced Thursday for the Suwannee River Jam, Smith got a first-row peek.

Sanchez said, "Anything like this that would lift his spirits and give him something to look forward to--anything I can do, I want to do."

Ford is one of about a dozen country music artists performing at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak.

But music isn't the only thing that touches him.

Ford said, "I got a little bit emotional. It was more my honor to meet him than him to meet me because that's so inspiring. He had a great attitude. That to me is what life is all about."

Ford even took Smith and his family on his tour bus.

"You feel like a better person after you've met Cory." Said, Ford.

Smith's cancer is incurable, but on this day, he wasn't a patient, he was a star's hero.

The Suwannee River Jam is April 23-25. Colt Ford and Gretchen Wilson and many more will be present.

Go to www.musicliveshere.com for the complete line-up and ticket information.