John Rich Remembers ‘Kind and Strong’ Charlie Daniels Following His Sudden Death

Country singer John Rich has weighed in on the death of Charlie Daniels. “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” singer suffered from a hemorrhagic stroke on Monday.

“Daniels showed the rest of us what it means to be a great human being,” The Big & Rich member said in a statement on Monday. “He found redemption, then lived a life devoted to serving God, his family, and fellow countrymen. He was much more than his music. He was kind and strong and had a powerful soul that will be sorely missed here on earth, but no doubt has received eternal glory in Heaven. We will always love and miss him forever. God bless you, Mr. Charlie.”

Prior to his death, Daniels had suffered from numerous physical and mental health ailments, although his dedicated fans and fellow celebrities have all paid their respects to the country superstar. Just hours before his death, Daniels also posted a quote via Twitter that seemed to indicate he knew the end was near for him. “Lord, give us the courage to speak our mind, to be honest, and bold about our feelings, no matter who, or how many we go against,” he wrote, which has gone viral in the wake of his death.

Daniels was also outspoken about many political issues and spoke to PopCulture in 2019 about his work with military veterans, namely through his hosting of the annual Veteran Impact Celebration. “It is a place for veterans to come and for one thing, to just get together and be with like-minded folks that’ve been through the same thing,” Daniels said at the time. “They’ve been to Afghanistan and been to Iraq and been to whatever the pressures of wars or the pressures of just being in service in general are. There’s job placement, there’s teleconferencing, there is health care available if they need it.”

While he’s best known for the fiddle-dueling epic “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” Daniels had a lucrative career that spanned more than six decades. Among his accolades include induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame as well as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1936, where he quickly became influenced by country music growing up in the eastern state. After learning to play numerous musical instruments, he embarked on his career on the stage after he graduated high school.