Jimmy Wayne Joins ‘A Home for the Holidays’

Singer-songwriter Jimmy Wayne will take part in CBS's special 'A Home for the Holidays,' which airs tonight, Dec. 22, at 8PM ET. This marks the 12th anniversary of the holiday series, which celebrates the happiness that comes from adopting within the foster care system. The special features stories from American families, with their stories being highlighted by musical performances and additional stories from celebrities.

If anyone knows any background information on Wayne, they know how rough he had it as a child. He was abandoned at the age of 13 and spent a good portion of his teen years moving between different foster homes and schools. At the age of 16, Wayne got a job as a lawn boy for the Costners, an elderly couple that he was living near at the time. The Costners eventually asked Wayne to move in with them, but only under two conditions -- that he cut his hair and start attending church services. Wayne then began to lead the full life he always deserved, going on to graduate from college with a degree in criminal justice. Soon after, he moved to Nashville to pursue a musical career.

Wayne is making the most of his newfound fame by doing everything in his power to help kids that are facing similar struggles in life. Earlier this year, Wayne began his Meet Me Halfway project. "This guilty feeling came over me," Wayne says on the Meet Me Halfway website. "Here I am living life. I'm comfortable. I'd been on the Brad Paisley tour for a lot of the year, and I just didn't feel like I'd done anything to make a difference." The project led to Wayne walking 1,700 miles across the country in order to raise awareness and funds for teens who are at risk of being kicked out of foster care due to their age.

Naturally, Wayne is thrilled to be part of the 'A Home for the Holidays' series. "They are allowing me to tell my story on the show," Wayne tells The Boot. "There will be a lot of people who watch this show that say, 'Wow!' It's going to be good. I've never been on CBS, so I am very excited. We're on the same mission, which is to help these kids."

Wayne also took to his official Twitter page to share his excitement about the special with his fans. He wrote, "A minimum of six million people will be watching CBS 'A Home for the Holidays.' S I X......M I L L I O N."

Melissa Etheridge, Maroon 5, Ricky Martin, Nelly and Katy Perry are all scheduled to perform on the special. Celebrities including Sharon Osbourne, Leah Remini, Sara Gilbert and Holly Robinson Peete are also scheduled to appear on the show. Be sure to tune in to 'A Home for the Holidays' tonight on CBS to see Jimmy Wayne and to learn more about adopting foster children.