Charlie Daniels facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charlie Daniels
Daniels in 2017
Background information
Birth name	Charles Edward Daniels
Born	(1936-10-28)October 28, 1936 Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	July 6, 2020(2020-07-06) (aged 83) Hermitage, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Southern rock country rock
Occupation(s)	Musician singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals fiddle guitar
Years active	1958–2020
Labels	Epic Liberty Sparrow Capitol Reprise Blue Hat

Charles Edward Daniels (born October 28, 1936 – died July 6, 2020) was an American singer, musician, and songwriter. He was famous for mixing different types of music like rock, country, blues, and jazz. He helped create a style called Southern rock. Daniels is best known for his number-one country song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia". Most of his hit songs were released with his band, the Charlie Daniels Band.

Charlie Daniels was a musician and singer from the 1950s until he passed away. He was honored in several important places. These include the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame in 2002, the Grand Ole Opry in 2008, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009, and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.

Early Life and Musical Start

Charles Edward Daniels was born on October 28, 1936, in Wilmington, North Carolina. When he was young, his family moved around a bit. After getting measles, Charlie needed glasses for most of his life. This sometimes led to him being picked on at school.

He loved listening to Pentecostal gospel songs, local bluegrass music groups, and rhythm and blues on the radio. He also enjoyed Western movies. These influences inspired him to start writing and performing his own songs.

Charlie Daniels' Music Journey

Starting Out: Sideman and Early Bands

Charlie Daniels was very good at playing the guitar, fiddle, banjo, and mandolin. He began his music career in the 1950s with a bluegrass band called Misty Mountain Boys. In the 1960s, he started playing rock and roll.

He formed his own band, first called the Rockets, then later the Jaguars. They even had a hit song called "Jaguar." The Jaguars later explored jazz music before returning to rock and country music by 1964.

Charlie also wrote songs for other artists. In 1964, Elvis Presley recorded Charlie's song "It Hurts Me." A friend, Bob Johnston, told Charlie to move to Nashville to work as a session player. This meant Charlie played instruments on other artists' recordings. He played with famous musicians like Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, and Leonard Cohen. Bob Dylan said that "when Charlie was around, something good would usually come out of the sessions."

Solo Career and The Charlie Daniels Band

Charlie Daniels released his first solo album in 1970. This album helped create the sound of Southern rock. Two years later, he formed the Charlie Daniels Band.

In 1973, the band had a Top 10 hit song called "Uneasy Rider." The next year, Charlie started the first Volunteer Jam concert. This was a special event where many musicians played together.

The Charlie Daniels Band released successful albums like Fire on the Mountain and Nightrider. Their song "Texas" became a Top 40 hit. Their album Saddle Tramp was also very popular.

Daniels performing in 1979, the year he won a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia".

In 1977, the band released their most successful album, Million Mile Reflections. This album included their famous song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." This song reached number 3 on the Billboard charts in 1979. It also won Charlie Daniels a Grammy Award.

The band even had a fan in President Jimmy Carter. He used their song "The South's Gonna Do It Again" for his election campaign. After he won, the band performed at his inauguration. In 1980, Charlie Daniels played himself in the movie Urban Cowboy. This movie helped make country music popular again. After this, Charlie's music started to focus more on country sounds.

Later, his album Simple Man (1989) was also very popular.

Later Career and New Ventures

In the 1990s, Charlie Daniels continued to perform many concerts. In 1995, he released his first Christian music album, The Door. In 1999, he was added to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.

In the 2000s, Charlie Daniels released music with smaller record companies. In 2003, his song "This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag" became well-known. He also wrote a book with a similar title. In 2005, he released Songs from the Longleaf Pines, which was a bluegrass and gospel album.

On October 18, 2005, Charlie Daniels was honored as a BMI Icon. In 2007, he was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, a very famous country music show. He officially joined in 2008. In 2009, he played the fiddle in a commercial for GEICO.

In 2016, Charlie Daniels released Night Hawks, an album of Western swing music. In October of that year, he became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2017, he released his life story book, Never Look at the Empty Seats.

In the late 2010s, Charlie formed a new band called Beau Weevils. They released an album in 2018. He also released a book of daily inspirational quotes in 2018.

Charlie Daniels' Musical Style

Daniels performing at the U.S. Naval Station Great Lakes, September 11, 2003.

Charlie Daniels' first album in 1970 was very important for Southern rock. It showed how this type of music could sound. It mixed rock, country, and blues. His band often used two lead guitarists and two drummers, which allowed for lots of musical improvisation. The New York Times said his music included country, blues, bluegrass, rock, and Western swing.

After his hit song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," Charlie Daniels started to focus more on country music. Even so, his music always helped shape the sound of country-rock. Some people even said his talking style in songs was like an early form of rap.

Charlie Daniels himself said he played "American music." He believed his band played "some of all the music that's come across in America," especially country, bluegrass, rock, gospel, and jazz. He didn't like to be put into just one music category.

Views and Beliefs

Daniels being presented with the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service during a visit to the Pentagon in 2007.

Charlie Daniels was a strong Christian. He often shared his thoughts on current events, especially on social media. He believed it was important for Americans to share their opinions.

He supported the idea that people should be able to criticize leaders without being called un-American. He also felt that focusing too much on minor issues could stop important things from getting done.

Personal Life and Health

Charlie Daniels married Hazel Juanita Alexander on September 20, 1964. They had one son, Charles Edward Daniels Jr. Charlie loved sports, especially the University of Tennessee teams. He also enjoyed outdoor activities like hunting and fishing. He was a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA).

In 1980, Charlie had a serious arm injury while working on his farm. It took him four months to recover. He was treated for prostate cancer in 2001. In 2010, he had a stroke but recovered quickly. In 2013, he needed a pacemaker to help regulate his heart.

Charlie Daniels passed away on July 6, 2020, at the age of 83. He died from a hemorrhagic stroke in Hermitage, Tennessee.

Filmography

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Charlie Daniels para niños