Charlie Daniels Describes First Time He Ever Played Music in Final On-Camera Interview

Charlie Daniels’ final on-camera interview will air this week, and in it, the country music legend describes the first time he ever played music. In an excerpt from a new episode of Fox Nation’s The Pursuit! With John Rich, which was taped on June 16, Daniels reveals that the first two songs he ever learned were “You Are My Sunshine,” and the old hymn, “Kneel at the Cross.”

Daniels goes on to tell Rich, “I had music in my life. My dad didn’t play an instrument, but he dearly loved music, and we were constantly listening to the radio. And I used to sing with my dad. He taught me how to sing harmony. We’d ride along in his car; he’d sing old songs.” Daniels continued: “I actually was about 15 years old before I actually played an instrument. I’d always wanted to. And I was living in a little town in North Carolina, and this friend of mine I had known for several years, I went up to his house one day, and he had this old Stella guitar out. I mean one of these old beat up — I bet the strings had never been changed on it. I don’t know if he even knew where he got it at. It was just at his house. The strings were rusty and all.”

The iconic singer and songwriter then shared how it felt to play for the first time. “My fingers, my gosh it… they were like… they’d get sore, but you got to keep on playing, you know. And that was my first take when I first started playing guitar, first started playing music. I was about 15 years old I guess.”

Daniels passed away on Monday, with his representatives issuing a statement later in the day. “Country music and southern rock legend Charlie Daniels has passed. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member died this morning at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee,” the statement read. “Doctors determined the cause of death was a hemorrhagic stroke. He was 83.” The statement concluded, “Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.”

Many of Daniel’s fellow country music stars have since taken to social media to mourn his death, with Luke Bryan tweeting, “Just learning of the passing of this great man. What a hero. A true patriot, Christian, and country music icon. Prayers to his family. Thank you for all your contributions on and off the stage. God bless you Charlie Daniels.”