Charlie Daniels

Charlie Daniels, The Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member, passed away on Monday, July 6th, 2020 at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee from a hemorrhagic stroke. He was 83. Charles Edward Daniels was born on Wednesday, October 28th, 1936 in Wilmington, North Carolina. He was the only child of the late Carlton and LaRue Daniels. As a child, the family moved to Valdosta, Georgia and Elizabethtown, North Carolina before returning to Wilmington. In 1967, after the invitation from producer Bob Johnston, he moved with his wife and their two year old son to Nashville, Tennessee, where he began session work including playing on Bob Dylan sessions. He formed The Charlie Daniels Band in 1972 joining the first wave of Southern rock bands. Million Mile Reflections, the CDB’s biggest release in 1979 yielded the single “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” which reached #1 and won Daniels a Grammy for Best Country Vocal. From his Dove Award-winning gospel albums to his genre-defining southern rock anthems and his CMA Award-winning country hits, few artists have left a more indelible mark on America's musical landscape than Charlie Daniels. An outspoken patriot, beloved mentor, and a true road warrior, Daniels parlayed his passion for music into a multi-platinum career and a platform to support the military, underprivileged children, and others in need. The Charlie Daniels Band has long populated radio with memorable hits and his signature song, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." Over the course of his career, Daniels received numerous accolades, including his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Musicians Hall of Fame and becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Daniels helped to shine the spotlight on the many causes that are close to his heart. He was a staunch supporter of the military and gave his time and talent to numerous charitable organizations, including The Journey Home Project, that he founded in 2014 with his manager, David Corlew, to help veterans of the United States Armed Forces. When not at their beloved ranch, Twin Pines, in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, Charlie and Hazel spent most of their time touring with The Charlie Daniels Band across the country. A few months each year they would spend time at their Colorado home, where they enjoyed snowmobiling and dining with friends. Charlie leaves behind his loving wife of nearly 56 years, Hazel Alexander Daniels; only son, Charles William Daniels; adopted grandchildren, Evan Daniel Tubb and Ayala Grace Nowling; grandbuddies, Taylor Corlew Jenkins and Bailey Wheeler; as well as The CDB family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Carlton and LaRue Daniels.