When the Woolsthorpe resident held an early 80th birthday party on the weekend, about 130 people turned up to give back to a man who has given so much to others.

He got his first taste of volunteering at the age of 17 in 1957, singing at a farewell for the Woolsthorpe postmasters which had been there for 50 years.

From then on he never looked back, singing at CWA parties, red crosses and churches before partnering with fellow country singers Ken Smith and Kevin Bowman.

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He's never missed the Port Fairy Folk Festival, playing there for more than 40 years in a band lovingly called 'The Rubber Band' and raising $17,000 for the Koroit, Warrnambool and Port Fairy hospitals.

He was named volunteer of the year in 2014, but said he did it all for the greater good.

"I get a lot of joy out of it," he said.

"It's not what you put into it, it's what you get out of it. I can't read a note of music, I just play it all by ear.

"I like getting people up to sing with me, I like to involve them as much as I can."

He said a highlight of his 62-years of voluntary work was receiving a handmade guitar from world-famous crafter Stephen Gilchrist.

"It's looking a bit old right now, but it's very special - I'd never sell it," he said.

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