Charlie Daniels has been performing and writing songs for five decades. He is known for many things – the Famed Fiddler, a multi-platinum recording artist with the number one hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”, a Grand Ole Opry member, a Musicians Hall of Famer, a CMA, ACM, GMA, & Grammy® award winner, a BMI Icon – he is the epitome of a Country music legend. Despite all of these awards and achievements, beyond the legend there is a man with a charitable heart.
At the Leadership Music Dale Franklin Awards in October 2012, where Charlie was recognized for his humanitarian efforts and leadership by example along with Randy Owen and Vince Gill. Charlie remarked, “I am just so honored to be thought of in the same sentence with these other two guys. I don’t do charitable things to be recognized but it’s still nice when that happens.”
While he does not boast his humanitarian efforts, Charlie’s heart for giving back includes organizations such as; Stars for Stripes, Sentinels of Freedom, Boot Campaign, St. Jude’s Children & Research Hospital, T.J. Martell, Foundation, Charlie Daniels Scholarship for Heroes, The Angelus, Christmas 4 Kids, the Armed Services YMCA’s (ASYMCA) Operation Outdoors and many others. Most of Charlie’s giving is focused on children and the U.S. Military.
“You can’t work with everybody, if I could do every charitable event I was asked to do, I would. Every artist has to pick a couple causes that they are dedicated to.” Charlie stated at the taping of his upcoming appearance on Larry’s Coutry Diner. “I feel very indebted to the military and I feel like we need to be there for the kids too – we have to supply there every need. Children are not like the rest of society with the ability to get a job – they depend on us.”
Charlie’s annual concert to benefit “Christmas 4 Kids” funds shopping holiday sprees for underprivileged children during the holidays. The concert is the cornerstone of Christmas 4 Kids’
fundraising efforts and kicks off the season. In his eleven years supporting the program he has
helped provide special shopping trips for more than 4,000 children.
Charlie also donates his time annually to The Angelus – a Hudson-based home for the severely handicapped. Now in its 22nd year, the Charlie Daniels-hosted charity event spanned over three-days that included a blackjack tourney, a celebrity golf classic and ended in the Charliepalooza concert with appearances by Charlie Daniels Band, Confederate Railroad and Nashville‘s LoCash Cowboys. There was one donor that gave over $90,000 to the cause this year.
“Charlie’s love of music is only surpassed by his love of people, especially the American people,” former President Gerald Ford said during the 1998 ACM‘s where Charlie was the recipient of the Pioneer Award. “He’s traveled this land from coast to coast singing about the things that concern the American people. The Academy of Country Music’s Pioneer Award is presented to a supremely talented compassionate and proud American, and a fair to middlin’ golfer, too!”
Charlie has been a vocal advocate of preserving American freedoms and has authored “Ain’t No Rag: Freedom, Family and the Flag” a strong and simple argument for what’s wrong with America, what’s right with America, and the importance of faith and family–the glue that holds the country together.
In 2005, through the combined efforts of the Tennessee National Guard, United States Army-Europe, Central Command in Southwest Asia, and the nonprofit organization “Stars for Stripes”, The Charlie Daniels Band took their spirit to Kyrgystan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq and Germany, where they performed 9 shows for more than 15,000 soldiers. The band traveled more than 16,000 miles and performed up to 3 shows per day for American troops deployed in the War on Terrorism.
Since then Charlie has repeated this tour two more times for the troops. “The reason I enjoy
going to Iraq is because for a few days I am honored to walk among the finest young people
America has to offer,” Daniels wrote on his website Soapbox.
Charlie Daniels was honored with the 2007 AMVETS Silver Helmet Award in Washington, DC in March and returned to Washington, DC to accept the Office of the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Public Service Award.
“I used to say, I’m not an outlaw; I’m an outcast,’” says Charlie Daniels. “When it gets right down to the nitty gritty, I’ve just tried to be who I am. I’ve never followed trends or fads. I couldn’t even if I tried. I can’t be them; I can’t be anybody but me.”
This coming year will mark Charlie’s 55th year in music and we wouldn’t have him any other way – except his big-hearted self. As this year is coming to a close Charlie has one more gift to give and it’s not just for children or the military, it is for both.
Charlie recently released a holiday album, Hallelujah, It’s Christmas Time Again and has partnered with Buffets, Inc. The album, on sale for $8.99, is available exclusively at all Buffets, Inc., restaurants. Profits from the album will be donated to the Armed Services YMCA for Operation Outdoors, a camp program that assists the children of military personnel during deployment.
The Buffets, Inc. chain includes 350 restaurants in 35 states operating as Old Country Buffet, HomeTown Buffet, Ryan’s and Fire Mountain. Charlie is a big fan of their food. “When you go out and have a meal, they’ve got more food out there than you can shake a stick at. I was just out at Ryan’s this morning,” he says. “My gosh they could feed the Armed Services YMCA out there.”
After enjoying a great meal, Charlie is hoping diners will pick up his new Christmas CD to support the troops and their families. He says when folks see it at the cash register they are likely to think “it’s Santa Claus without his suit on,” he says with a laugh.
Charlie’s partnering with the restaurant chain to sell the album is a win-win situation for all involved. “The record business has changed a lot, especially since my days. I go back to the old vinyl. I go back to the 78’s actually,” he says with a smile. “It’s changed a lot and we’ve got to deal with the reality that we market records where we can. I think this is something that’s going to happen more and more frequently. . . It’s a great thing for the artist. It’s a great way to market records. It’s a great way for the companies because it’s a little added something that they have there.”
But most of all, Charlie sees it as a great way to support our troops and their families. “Anything that goes to help the service people is A No. 1 in my book because I’m a life long supporter,” Charlie says. “I mean that from my heart of hearts. I’m a life long supporter of the military. We could never, ever do enough for the military … I want to thank Ryan’s and Hometown Buffet [for] doing this. They are giving their profits to see that there’s a better life for our service people and our kids.”
For more information visit: www.charliedaniels.com or www.buffet.com/charliedaniels
Story by: Amanda Andrews, originally featured as a cover story for Give A Little Nashville
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