A handful of southern rock and country music’s top acts will be performing at the event, including The Charlie Daniels Band, Craig Morgan, .38 Special, and Gloriana. Perhaps the most anticipated of them all though, is none other than country music icon himself, Charlie Daniels and his Charlie Daniels Band.
It’s been two years since Daniels’ last release, Land That I Love, but the artist has been busy touring, making appearances, and annually gearing up for his Christmas 4 Kids celebration.
“We’re pretty crazy, especially this time of year,” Daniels says, “from about the fifteenth of June to the middle of December, it’s pretty crazy.”
Another project that’s kept Daniels moderately busy is his very own record label, Blue Hat Records.
“We just signed a major distribution deal with a major record label…,” he trails off.
He tells me the label, but that I’m to keep my lips sealed.
Ha! Charlie freakin’ Daniels just shared a secret with me. I’m sure it’ll be common knowledge soon after this has been published but nevertheless, I feel pretty special in the moment.
The guitarist, vocalist, and fiddler extraordinaire has recorded 30 studio albums and worked with just about everyone in the business, from the Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan to Leonard Cohen to Al Kooper, and even Marty Robbins.
“The Marshall Tucker Band was one of my favorites,” he says. “And Lynyrd Skynyrd too,” he adds. “You know, the kind of people we started out with.”
Daniels has won a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal performance for signature hit, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” garnered 6 BMI Country Awards, has been inducted into North Carolina’s Music Hall of Fame, and has so many other accolades it’s almost impossible to keep track.
Did I mention he composed the score for 2000 film, Across the Line?
Yet out of everything the great, seasoned talent has achieved, he says it’s undeniably his 2008 induction into the Grand Ole Opry that he holds nearest and dearest to his country heart.
I ask him to flash back to where he was when he heard the news, and to precisely recreate for me, what the whole moment was like.
“I remember exactly how I found out. We were doing a show at the Ryman Auditorium, a traditional charity show that we do there every year for underprivileged children, and I was on stage and Martina McBride came out in the middle of my set; I didn’t know what she was doing, I had no idea. She told me that I’d been invited to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry…”
The down-to-earth, good ol’ country boy’s voice, with one of the strongest southern drawls I ever heard might I add (and I myself have a pretty heavy one if I’m to be completely honest), trails off on the other end of the line.
Daniels pauses to reflect and revel in the moment a second longer and then snaps back.
“Oh yeah,” he chuckles, “I remember exactly how it all happened.”
The musician is also widely known for his opinionated character and even features a Soapbox column on his official website. It was here that he publicized his concerns with his hit, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” being featured on Guitar Hero III- what most would probably consider a pretty cool accolade.
I ask him to explain.
“Well I never let the devil win. I didn’t like the imagery and I didn’t like the fact that the devil could win because I never let him, that’s not the purpose of the song. I was proud and honored to have it on there because so many kids play it, I mean, my grandson does, but when I did “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” that’s not what I wrote it about. It’s not about this deep, dark sort of thing and it just kind of came off to me that way.”
Daniels says he’ll play all of his classics and more when he rolls into town November 11th, so prepare to be entertained and to have a good ol’ time.
“That’s what we’re there for, to entertain people. I’m always determined to give people their money’s worth.”
I ask Charlie (at this point, I feel like we’re on a first name basis here) a few of his favorite spots or cities to play throughout the U.S. since he spends an ample amount of time on the road. He responds with a light-hearted (and again, very Southern) comment.
“When people ask me where I like to play, I say anywhere that I can get grits for breakfast.”
He then goes on to tell me he likes to mix eggs in them and that occasionally, he’ll opt for the cheese grits.
I can’t help but laugh. It’s so Charlie, so…sincere.
Before we hang up, I make sure there’s nothing that I’ve missed that he wants included in the article.
“Nope darlin’, you pretty much covered it.”
I’m dying. Charlie Daniels just called me darlin’. Eek!
For more information on the Charlie Daniels Band, visit their official website at www.charliedaniels.com, and for other information regarding Old City Music Fest, visit www.oldcitymusicfest.com.
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