Charlie Daniels;A Great American,True Patriot and Entertainer

I’ve just returned from seeing Charlie Daniels in concert and what a concert. Charlie is now 77 years old and still rocks the house down whether playing the fiddle while wielding his fiddle bow wildly around or playing various guitars and interacting with his band mates. If music keeps you young then rock on.   I love his firm stance with feet apart in fiddle mode position as he plays the fiddle with lightning speed waiting for the strings to fly off from the friction and then saying at the end ,”That’s how it’s done son.”.

Charlie said that this current band is the best band he ever had. His band consists of three guitars, keyboards and a drummer you wouldn’t believe. A high point of the concert was a piece called Black Ice where each band member does a great solo piece, first the two guitar players (rhythm and bass) as Charlie interacts with them individually, then the keyboard player  hitting the keys madly and finally the obligatory drum solo that lasts about 15 minutes. This is the old trick I’ve seen many rock bands do in the sixties where the other band members walk off and the drummer plays solo, but this solo drum piece was one of the best I’ve seen and heard. Hitting the drums at lightning speed he pounded out a rocking beat. At one point he stops with his hands while keeping a manic rhythm with his feet while the other band members give him towels to dry his face with and water to drink using both hands while still maintaining the drum beat. Quit a performance.  The only problem with long drum solos like this I’ve always felt is after awhile it just becomes a lot of noise.

Charlie is a true patriot and did a song dedicated to all our troops past present and future. Charlie Daniels is an avid supporter and longtime advocate of the military, regularly performing for troops stationed overseas and in the United States, He also did a comical song saying he was proud to be a redneck explaining that a redneck is not just someone who drives a pick-up truck and shoots at stop signs, but a hard working man who comes home at night after a full day in the hot sun with  some red on the back of his neck from working in the sun all day.

I particularly liked Charlie doing the religious gospel favorite “How Great Thou Art” which has always been one of my favorites. He started out real slow with him solo on guitar and just the spotlight on him slowly having the band join him until they build to an emotional cresendo.

Charlie ended his show with the famous “Devil Went Down to Georgia” which is his signature song and I was hoping he’d do. He plays the fiddle so manically and twirls the bow around wildly and had the whole audience dancing in the aisles. If you ever get a chance see Charlie Daniels if he comes to a theater near you.

See Charlie play The Devil Went Down to Georgia  at  the Grand Ol’ Opry below

 Charlie Daniels Band “Devil Went Down to Georgia” Grand Ole Opry – YouTube