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50 Reasons to Reflect: Charlie Daniels’ 50 Years Making Good Ol’ American Music

Friday, August 29th, 2008 | Charlie Daniels | 1 Comment

How many artists can truly be called an American icon?

Charlie Daniels can.  A man that is just as passionate about his charity work and support of the American troops as he is his own music, Daniels celebrates a half-century in the music business this year.  In no particular order, here are 50 reasons to reflect on a remarkable 50 years of accomplishments.

#50 – Thirty-one years of Volunteer Jams!  After the first concert in 1974, Charlie says, “We should do this once in a while.”  (There was a three-year break in the 1980s when no Jams were held).

#49 – In the sixties, Nashville often overlooks Charlie’s talent as a session player.  That is, until he records on Bob Dylan’s 1969 masterpiece, Nashville Skyline.

#48 – The Rockets, Charlie’s first professional band, form in 1958.

#47 – His first solo album, Charlie Daniels, releases in 1970.  The Charlie Daniels Band is born the same year.

#46 – Artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tammy Wynette, Little Richard, Kris Kristofferson, James Brown, the Allman Bros., Willie Nelson and Ted Nugent are just a few of the performers that play the Volunteer Jam in its first decade.

#45 – “A redneck lookin’ joint called the Dew Drop Inn” – lyric from Daniels’ talking blues classic ‘Uneasy Rider’ off 1973’s Honey in the Rock album.

#44 – Charlie’s charity partnership with Habitat for Humanity.

#43 – The Charlie Daniels museum opens in Nashville in 2001.

#42 – The Urban Cowboy soundtrack just wouldn’t be the same without “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”!

#41 – Charlie was a performer at the first Farm Aid concert in 1985.

#40 – Charlie Daniels: Playboy Award winner!

#39 - “I keep my Christmas lights on / on my front porch all year long / and I know all the words to every Charlie Daniels song.” -Gretchen Wilson lyric.

#38 – Honored by the Pentagon with the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service in 2007 for his support of military personnel.

#37 – Charlie Daniels – the author!  Charlie’s third book, a collection of essays called ‘Growing Up Country: What Makes Country Life Country,’ comes out in 2007.  It features contributions from Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, Jimmy Carter and Clint Black, among others.

#36 – Elvis Presley cuts Daniels’ “It Hurts Me” in 1963 and releases it as the B-side to “Kissin’ Cousins.”

#35 – Awarded the Dove award in 1994 by the Gospel Music Association for Best Country Album of the Year for The Door, Charlie’s first Christian album.

#34 – Charlie plays the Super Bowl XXXIX pre-game show with Gretchen Wilson, Earth, Wind & Fire and the Black-Eyed Peas in 2005.

#33 – Christmas For Kids benefit shows at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

#32 – He’s the voice of Sirius radio’s “Road Dog Trucking Show,” channel 147!

#31 – Charlie releases “This Ain’t No Rag, It’s A Flag,” in response to Sept. 11.  Demand for the single crashes his website, www.charliedaniels.com.

#30 – Forms Operation Heartstrings in 2005 to help soldiers overseas battle depression and loneliness by organizing donations of musical instruments and equipment.

#29 – In 2005, Charlie performs for more than 15,000 troops at performances in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Iraq.  Daniels sometimes played three shows a day for the American troops.

#28 – “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” goes #1 on the Country charts and wins a Grammy for ‘Best Country Vocal’ in 1979.

#27 – Charlie releases his first album of duets in 2007, featuring Bonnie Bramlett, Vince Gill, Gretchen Wilson, Dolly Parton, Darius Rucker, Brenda Lee, Brad Paisley, and more!

#26 - Inducted into the Grand Ole Opry January 19, 2008.  “There is no way I can express what it means to me,” Daniels says.  “I pursued my dream in music and by the goodness of God have been able to have a wonderful career, which has spanned fifty years.”

#25 – 17 albums released to date on Charlie’s own label, Blue Hat Records.

#24 – “A proud American… and a fair to middlin’ golfer, too!” – former President Gerald Ford.

#23 – The Charlie Daniels catalog has sold over 20 million units!

#22 – Recording sessions with legendary artists Bob Dylan, Flatt & Scruggs, Leonard Cohen and Ringo Starr, to name just a few.

#21 – Over 4 million broadcasts of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (source: BMI).

#20 – Presented with the Career Achievement Award by the Country Radio Broadcasters at the Country Radio Seminar in 2008.

#19 – Volunteer Jam still going strong, this year featuring Shooter Jennings and .38 Special.  The Jam began its tradition as a traveling tour in 1999.

#18 – Performs in 2008 at the christening ceremonies for the USS New York, a naval ship constructed with more than seven tons of steel recovered from the World Trade Center after Sept. 11.

#17 – Charlie’s music crosses all boundaries, spawning numerous hits and awards in Rock, Pop, Country and Christian music genres.

#16 – Presented the Pioneer Award by the Academy of Country Music in 1998.  Former presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford issue congratulatory statements.

#15 – The Charlie Daniels Donruss trading card!

#14 – Eighteen years of performances for American troops in 10 different countries, including Germany, Afghanistan, Cuba, South Korea and Iraq.

#13 – Records on Ringo Starr’s 1970 album, Beaucoups of Blues.

#12 – Performs at Jimmy Carter’s inauguration in January 1977.

#11 - Charlie’s 1990 album Simple Man goes to #2 on the Country charts, his third consecutive decade with at least one Top Ten hit.

#10 – Charlie Daniels Band voted Touring Band of the Year twice by the Academy of Country Music.

#9 – Toured Europe with Leonard Cohen in 1969!

#8 – Charlie’s children’s album, By the Light of the Moon: Campfire Songs and Cowboy Tunes.

#7 – “Few individuals have symbolized the South in popular culture as directly and indelibly as Charlie Daniels.” – quote from the Encyclopedia of Southern Culture.

#6 – Honored with the 2007 AMVETS Silver Helmet Award for four decades of service to American troops at home and abroad.

#5 – Charlie’s signature “bullrider” cowboy hat!

#4 – Charlie not only beat the Devil, he beat Cancer, too.  (Charlie had prostate surgery in 2001).

#3 – “Let there be harmony, let there be fun and 12 notes of music to make us all one.” – Charlie Daniels.

#2 – Daniels’ triple-platinum album Million Mile Reflections was a reference to over one million miles logged on the road performing for fans by 1980!

#1 – 50 albums, 50 years… and counting!!!