Trying to categorize Charlie Daniels and his amazing band is very difficult.  But it is safe to say, that no matter what kind of music you have listened to your entire life, you know him, and liked many of his songs.  Today at 83, Charlie Daniels passed away.  He was his own guy, for sure.

Here is a guy that did it his way  - always.  He helped lead the Southern Rock/Country movement for many years, and inspired tons more for decades to come.  He along with Hank Williams Jr., Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker Band, and others pioneered a new kind of sound, that virtually everyone liked.  Universal appeal is a tough thing have.  But in his real heyday, like Hank, Willie and others, people who "didn't like country" liked Charlie Daniels.  What they didn't know, he was about as "country" as it got, it was just dressed in a better costume at the time.  That always made me laugh.  This was not "lovey-dovey" country, this was "muddy boots in the house stuff," and people loved it.

 Huge Song!

You know his big songs, everyone does.  Songs get no bigger than, The Devil Went Down To Georgia.  Still played some 42 years later as much as any song of the era, and was played on about every radio station in the world.  He had a ton of hits, near hits, and cult classics for many years. Long Haired Country Boy, is a huge classic, Uneasy Rider as well. He went full-on Country for a time, and charted hugely popular songs like, Simple Man, and In America, and there were tons of others.  His fan base loved him, till the end.

 Big Song Years Ago

He is a member of about every Hall Of Fame there is, and was an Opry Member.  He wrote for everyone, he recorded with everyone, Grammy winner, and had the respect of about every person that was in the music industry for his talent, and his longevity.  He was also a sensational fiddle player. I was typical of many fans.  He was not at the top of my list, BUT he was always there, and like you, I liked a bunch of his songs.  Yes, he could be controversial at times, but that's a conversation for another time. 

Charlie Daniels was a big deal, and his shadow covered all genres of music, country included, and that's a tough thing to do.  Chances are, if you like music, there's a few CDB songs you like.  Giants don't leave us too often, but when they do, there is a void, True, Charlie Daniels was not the charted radio act he once was at the end, but he still played, and fans still loved him.

Not bad for an 83 year old.  Well done, rest well.