Of all the myriad genres of rock and roll, I think it's safe to say my happy place is firmly ensconced within Southern Rock. And of all the purveyors of twanging guitars and red hot fiddles, you're hard-pressed to find any better than the Charlie Daniels Band. Already a big man at 6' 2", Charlie Daniels was a commanding presence when he strode onto a stage. Throw in boots and trademark beard and massive stetson, he was downright imposing. With his iconic fiddle in hand, he easily passed for any headliner in the hallowed halls of the Grand Ole Opry, but something different happened when he drew his bow across his fiddle.
Charlie Daniels was the perfect gateway act for a youngster like me transitioning from the country-western scene. He could easily start a set with traditional country standards like "Tennessee Waltz" and "Rocky Top". With that warm-up complete, he'd give you a hint at what's to come with masterful execution of the technically complex "Orange Blossom Special".
Suddenly he'd lead you down a dark wood path.
The next thing you know, you've got front row seats to the most epic fiddle face-off between a good ol' boy from Georgia and Old Scratch himself. In "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", Charlie Daniels plays both parts, the traditional melodic style from our hero, Johnny, as well as the cacophonous bedlam from the Devil.
Charlie told Taste of Country, "The Devil's just blowing smoke. If you listen to that, there's just a bunch of noise. There's no melody to it, there's no nothing. It's just a bunch of noise. Just confusion and stuff."
I found that to be very profound. Whatever situation is arrayed against you, don't be cowered by a bunch of noise and confusion. It's all just smoke.
The song became the seminal single from CDB. It hit #1 on the country charts in the US and Canada and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its inclusion in the soundtrack for Urban Cowboy ensured it would continue to be a part of '80s pop culture.
With his death this past July, I looked back on previous posts to see how he shaped this blog.
CDB's first Rock-tober appearance was back in 2014 with "In America". It's still a testament to the irresistible force that a united USA can be.
In 2016, I shared one of my favorite ghost stories with "Legend of Wooley Swamp" and dumb, teenage shenanigans in a graveyard.
In an interview with Southern Living, Charle Daniels said, "My legacy should be no more or no less than what I am. I'm different things to different people. To some people, I'm just a redneck fiddle player, which is fine with me. I don't mind being remembered that way."
I like to imagine he turned down St. Peter's offer of a harp and opted instead for a golden fiddle.
"Devil Went Down to Georgia" - Charlie Daniels Band
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