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LOS
ANGELES -- Most people know Charlie Daniels for his 1979
hit, "The Devil Went Down To Georgia," which climbed
all the way to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart. He celebrated
his 75th birthday with a performance at Nashville’s historic
Grand Ole Opry. After 50 plus years in the business, he is still
making music and touring the country. Look for Daniels and his
band to entertain audiences on Friday, Sept. 28 at the L.A. County
Fair in Pomona.
“I’ve
had so many memorable moments,” Daniels said in an exclusive
interview. “Every time I walk on stage is a memorable moment.
That is such a part of my life that I enjoy. That’s a big
part of my day and a big part of my life when I walk on stage
to entertain people. I have aimed my life at that situation. Every
night when I walk on stage is just my big deal.”
You’ve
had my hit singles over the years. What is your favorite song
to perform live?
“Well,
I like to play all of them,” he explained. “Of course,
the biggest hit I had is, ‘The Devil Went Down To Georgia.’
That’s always fun to do. It’s kind of evolved over
the years. We put a lot of extra stuff into it and everything.
It’s kind of funny how a song will grow over the years as
you play it together.”
Will this be your first time playing at the L.A. County Fair?
“You
know, I don’t know because we’ve played so many fairs
over the years,” the legendary country singer answered.
“I’ve been doing this for 54 years now and it’s
kind of hard to remember which ones we have and haven’t.
We’ve very well may have been there before.”
What can
the fans expect to see at that show on Sept. 28?
“We
always play the songs that people expect us to play. ‘The
Devil Went Down To Georgia,’ and ‘Long Haired Country
Boy’ and ‘The Legend of Wooley Swamp.’ We’ve
got surprises that we do. We’ll throw some things in that
you haven’t heard us do before. We’ll go back and
revisit some old songs that we haven’t done in years. We
just try to keep it moving, try to keep it entertaining.”
When was
your last time performing in California?
“We
were out in California, of course it was northern California a
while back,” Daniels said. “I don’t know. It’s
probably been last year. We get up there about every year.”
What do
you enjoy doing in the Golden State when you’re not performing?
“Ordinarily,
we’re all jammed up when we’re out there,” he
explained. “We’re moving pretty fast up and down the
coast. If we get a chance, sometimes we’ll play golf, catch
some of your good restaurants out there and just kind of enjoy
the view.”
What’s
the story behind your new song, “Behold A Pale Horse”?
“Go
look up on your computer United Nations Agenda 21,” the
legendary country singer answered. “There is a move afoot,
I’m not a conspiracy theorist, to take over this country
and put it under global control of the United Nations and other
organizations. That’s what this is about. About how it’s
diluting American freedom and how it’s happening now and
how we can do something about it.”
Now that
you have the new single, are you working on a new record as well?
“I’m
not working on a new album per say, but I will be working on one
in not too long. I hope to get back in the studio when I get time.
We’re so busy right now. This is our high travel time of
the year. We will get back in the studio and do one. Hopefully,
I’ll get started when the year is over or the first part
of next year.”
I understand
you are being honored with the Leadership Music Dale Franklin
Award. Please tell me more about that.
“I
think anytime that you’re being recognized by your peers
for a contribution that you make, this music business is one that
I love very much, it’s always a great honor.”
How did
it feel being nominated for the Vocal Event of the Year ACM Award
with hard-rocker turned country star Aaron Lewis?
“Well,
it was kind of a surprise really,” Daniels said. “My
part was very small on that record. I just had a very small, little
part on it. It was great being nominated for anything like that.
I was happy for Aaron.”
What are
your thoughts on reality shows like American Idol, Nashville Star
and The Voice?
“I’ve
never watched them,” he explained. “That kind of TV
don’t appeal to me. I’m aware of them, I know what
they are. I know some good talent comes through there, but it’s
just not my cup of tea. I think any way people can get started
in the industry. Take advantage of every opportunity you can.”
You’ve
done many duets over your career. Are there any other artists
you still want to sing with?
“Yeah,
I’d love to do something with B.B. King,” the legendary
country singer answered. “I would really enjoy sitting and
jamming with him for an hour or so. Hopefully, one of these days
we might be able to do that.”
Look
for the Charlie Daniels Band to perform on Sept. 28 at the L.A.
County Fair in Pomona, Calif. For more information or to order
tickets, visit www.lacountyfair.com.
Visit
The Charlie Daniels Band at their official website at www.charliedaniels.com,
their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/charliedanielsband
and their Twitter page at www.twitter.com/CharlieDaniels.
