Charlie Daniels, the Country Music Hall of Fame member best known for the hit single “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”, has died at the age of 83.
According to The Tennessean, Daniels passed away Monday, June 6th, after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke.
Having mastered guitar, fiddle, banjo, and mandolin by the age of 20, Daniels got his start in Nashville as a session musician. Notably, he played bass on three Bob Dylan albums, including 1969’s Nashville Skyline. He also worked alongside Leonard Cohen and Ringo Starr.
In 1972, Charlie Daniels formed the Charlie Daniels Band and promptly achieved a string of country hits in “Uneasy Ride”, “The South’s Gonna Do It Again”, and “Long Haired Country Boy”. In 1979, Daniels composed what proved to be the definitive song of his career, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”. The stomping country rock anthem experienced crossover success on US rock radio, ultimately peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard charts. It also earned Daniels a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance.
Daniels continued to release music throughout the next three decades, though his later years are more remembered for his outspoken right-wing politics and random media appearances. He guested starred as himself on two episodes of King of the Kill; appeared alongside Little Richard, Bootsy Collins, and Hank Williams in the 2006 Monday Night Football video intro; and played fiddle in a GEICO commercial.
In recognition of his efforts, in 2007 Daniels was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. In 2016, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
