Charlie Daniels’ Wife Hazel: What to Know

In the wake of the tragic news of Charlie Daniels’ passing, many people are reflecting on the accomplishments of the late country music star, from his hit song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” to his introduction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016. Throughout all of his achievements, the one constant was his wife, Hazel.

The two tied the knot on Sept. 20, 1964, and had one child together, a son, Charlie Daniels Jr. In more than 50 years of marriage together, the two built a connection that lasted a lifetime. Their bond was something Daniels called his greatest achievement in an interview with News OK to commemorate their 50th anniversary in 2014. He said the trick to a successful marriage is simply “finding somebody you truly love.” He considered himself “blessed” to have met Hazel and that he doesn’t have a “regret in the world” about choosing to spend the rest of his life with her.

As for how they met, fittingly, it was while Daniels was performing. At the time, it was just small venues like clubs and bars. He was the Fondalite Club in Tulsa when she and one of her friends showed up. Daniels recalled saying to himself, “Hey, I like that curvy little blonde over there.” One of the small regrets he had was, at the time of their marriage, his schedule was very busy with shows. Their Sunday wedding led right into a show he had on Monday, so they never took an official honeymoon together.

Daniels said his way of making it up to her was taking trips together whenever they could over their 50 years together. “We had a bunch of honeymoons,” Daniels said, adding that the two had “seen a good of the world together.” Before his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Hazel told Rare Country that it had been “an honor” to be married to Daniels and said she was proud of him and how he “worked so hard” to get all of the success he claimed in his career.

Daniels died on Monday at the age of 83. He suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. In the wake of his death, many of the industry’s biggest stars of yesterday and today shared touching tributes, including an essay written by Brad Paisley in which he spoke very highly of someone he first met at the age of 15 as an opening act.