We all have to start somewhere, and for Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder that place was San Dieguito Academy in Encinatas, Calif. Vedder recently returned to his old high school, performing with teachers and alumni as part of the school's annual performing arts benefit show.

The event was organized by a former classmate who asked Vedder to perform. He agreed on the condition that his appearance be kept a secret, the San Diego Union Tribune reported. “He didn’t want it to become ‘The Eddie Vedder Show,' he wanted the focus to be on the kids, on the school and on its theater arts program,” said Bonnie Wren, one of the event organizers.

The frontman sang covers of "Time" by Joe Jackson (video above) and Amanda Palmer's "Ukelele Anthem." He also performed Pearl Jam's "The Long Road," which he had written about his former drama instructor Clayton E. Liggett, who passed away in 1995 and subsequently had the high school's theater named after him.

Pearl Jam also recently inked a worldwide distribution deal with Universal Music Publishing group for their existing discography and future music as well as all of Eddie Vedder's solo work. Universal will have exclusive rights to both catalogs. "I'm thrilled to finally have a great partner that I can entrust with the legacy of the Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder catalogs. I'm excited for what lies ahead with UMPG," said Pearl Jam manager Kelly Curtis to Billboard.

The band will be hitting the road in April for a month long stretch of North American dates. For a list of tour stops, visit our 2016 Guide to Rock + Metal Tours.

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