Charlie Daniels died on July 6 at age 83, and his son, Charlie Jr., is making sure that his dad’s legacy will continue long after his passing. In a post on Daniels’ website, Charlie Jr. reflected on Daniels’ death and how he will be remembered moving forward, sharing that The Charlie Daniels Band social media accounts will remain active.
“We’re going to keep tweeting some of Charlie’s daily tweets, a scripture, ‘Never Forget 9/11,’ ‘Benghazi ain’t going away, ’22 VETERANS COMMIT SUICIDE EVERY DAY!!,’ and more,” Daniels Jr. wrote. “I know he would want us to keep that going.” He added that the team still has “anniversaries, birthdays, new merchandise and music to offer” and that Daniels’ annual Volunteer Jam will “likely morph into a tribute show.” “I’m hoping to get some input into some remixed/remastered classic CDB albums, and some vault material for future releases and dad just finished a novel, which we’re going to try to edit and get it ready to be shopped,” Daniels Jr. shared.
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“So, this isn’t the end, it’s just a new direction for everyone, but dad’s music will survive long after his passing,” he continued. “We will keep his legacy alive, and do our best to extend it and keep it going for future generations of fans.”
Along with his son, Daniels left behind his wife, Hazel, who he married in 1964. “My mom and I would like to say thank you for all the thoughts and prayers over the past week, and we have needed every one of them, and even more, if possible,” Daniels Jr. wrote. “This week, I’ve heard a lot of people say that dad was ‘The best there’s ever been.’ And I have to agree, he was, and I don’t mean fiddle players.”
Daniels began his career in the ’50s when he formed a band after graduating from high school and was known for his work in Southern rock, bluegrass and country music. He worked as a session musician in Nashville before releasing his own music including a number of hits like “Drinkin’ My Baby Goodbye,” “The South’s Gonna Do It” and his signature song, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” He was inducted into the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame in 2002, the Grand Ole Opry in 2008, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.
