Charlie Daniels, known for his fiddle playing, is a music icon that has been performing for over 50 years. His style is an exhilarating mixture of rock, country, bluegrass, blues, and gospel. Daniel's rebel anthems Long Haired Country Boy and The South's Gonna Do It propelled his 1975 collection Fire On the Mountain to Double Platinum status. He won a Grammy Award in 1979 for The Devil Went Down to Georgia and the following year, the song became a major crossover success on rock radio stations, after its inclusion on the soundtrack for the hit movie Urban Cowboy. The CDB appeared in the movie. The song is still receiving regular airplay on classic rock and country stations. Charlie and The CDB have earned awards from the Gospel Music Association, the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music.
The CDB's current cd release on Blue Hat Records/E1 Ent is Land That I Love, a Patriotic compilation including two new cuts (Iraq Blues and What This World Needs is a Few More Rednecks 2010).
As a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry, Charlie regularly performs on the Opry sharing the stage with fellow Opry Members. He is a member the Musicians Hall of Fame, and was honored with a Star on Music City's Walk of Fame.
Charlie's signature "bull rider" hat and belt buckle, his lifestyle on Twin Pines Ranch that he shares with his wife, Hazel of 46 years, his passion for horses, championship rodeo, Western movies and Louis L'Amour novels, identifies the man we all love.
He was honored the by the Pentagon with the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service award for his support of military personnel and was also awarded the AmVet Silver Helmet award, an annual award that recognizes excellence and achievement in Americanism, defense, rehabilitation, congressional service and other fields, by the AmVets, an organization formed by World War II veterans.
In addition to visiting troops at bases in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, Korea, and elsewhere, Daniels started Operation Heartstrings, a program that donated 100 Gibson guitars, drums, keyboards, and microphones to deployed service members. More than 13, 000 pieces of musical accessories were sent to deployed service members in 2005. Charlie continues to tour across the heartland of America and performs for our troops from Guantanamo Bay to Bosnia, Kuwait, South Korea, and repeat trips to Iraq for Stars for Stripes. He loves his country, family and the men and women who protect us.
Charlie has lent his talent and time to numerous charitable causes. He hosts The Charlie Daniels Celebrity Golf Classic & Angelus Concert in Hudson, FL, a benefit for The Angelus, a full-time residential facility and day school program for the severely handicapped. He co-hosts along with Coach Phillip Fulmer, the Jason Foundation Golf Classic, a national organization that targets teen suicide prevention, and is a member of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Professional Advisory Board. He has been a supporter of the T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research for many years and was recently presented the Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award at their 35th Annual Awards Gala in New York City.