Charlie Daniels Biography

Charlie Daniels was born in North Carolina as the only son of William Carlton Daniels, a lumberjack, and his wife LaRue Hammonds. He was raised in a family that had deep faith in god and valued virtues like honesty and hard work.

As a teenager he practiced hard on various types of musical instruments like fiddle, violin, mandolin, guitar, etc. In 1953, he along with some friends formed a bluegrass band named Misty Mountain Boys and wrote his first song.

In 1964, he co-wrote a song It Hurts Me with Joy Byers. It was recorded by Elvis Presley and put on the b-side of his album Kissin Cousins.

He produced the album Elephant Mountain by rock band The Youngbloods in 1969 at the behest of Johnson.

In 1970, he formed the Charlie Daniels Band and recorded his first solo album, the self-titled Charlie Daniels in 1971. In 1972, the band recorded an album named after the nicknames of the band members, Te John, Grease and Wolfman.

His band released Fire on the Mountain in 1974 which went on to become the band’s first big release. It was followed by Nightrider in 1975 and Saddle Tramp in 1976.

The album Million Mile Reflection featuring the hit song The Devil Went Down to Georgia was released in 1979. It was followed by the even more successful Full Moon in 1980. His next big hit, Simple Man came out in 1989.

Daniels’s first major work was his 1974 album Fire on the Mountain; the album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It included songs like Long haired country boy and Orange Blossom Special.

The multi-platinum album Million Mile Reflections was released in 1979. It is best known for the hit single The Devil went down to Georgia. Daniels dedicated the album to fellow musician, Ronnie Van Zant who died in 1977.

His platinum album Full Moon (1980) produced two hit singles, In America and The Legend of Wooley Swamp. The band dedicated the album to musician Tommy Caldwell who had died that year.

His 1989 album Simple Man was the most controversial of all his works. Many listeners were shocked by the lyrics of some of his songs and he was asked for an explanation. Nevertheless, the album went on to become platinum certified.

Daniels received the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance in 1979 for his song The Devil Went Down to Georgia. This song is, till date, his most successful one and is still played on rock ‘n’ roll radio stations in the US.

Daniels married Hazel in 1963. They had one son, Charlie Daniels Jr.

Charlie Daniels died of hemorrhagic stroke at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, TN on 6 July 2020. He was 83.

Charlie Daniels was an avid bowler and even had his own custom-made bowling ball with his name engraved on it.

He once appeared as a guest star on the popular animated TV show "Squidbillies" where he voiced a character named "The Revelator."

Charlie Daniels was known for his love of classic cars and had a collection that included several vintage vehicles.

He had a passion for woodworking and often spent his free time crafting furniture and other items in his workshop.

In addition to his music career, Charlie Daniels was also a talented painter and created many works of art in his spare time.