Charlie Daniels Spreads the Christmas Cheer

21 Nov 09

Charlie Daniels is already spreading the good tidings of Christmas. First of all, he’s released a new holiday album, Joy to the World: A Bluegrass Christmas, with guests like Jewel, Kathy Mattea and Aaron Tippin, as well as Suzanne and Evelyn Cox, the Grascals and Dan Tyminski. Instead of a duets project, Daniels lets the singers tackle a whole tune. (Tyminski’s rendition of “The Christmas Song” is especially terrific.) Daniels also offers a nifty new original, “Mississippi Christmas Eve,” and recites both an original short story (“A Carolina Christmas Carol”) and a passage from the book of Luke.

Prior to his annual Christmas for Kids show at the Ryman on Monday night (Nov. 23), he’ll be signing autographs at his museum in downtown Nashville. Asked about the variety of fans seeking his signature, Daniels replies, “We have people from all ages. We have little kids that come down. We have a few teenagers, not a lot. Then we have older people and older-than-that people who come down. We’re in our third generation of fans right now. We have been blessed enough to have some songs that the little guys like, like ‘The Legend of Wooley Swamp’ and ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia,’ that they get indoctrinated with when they’re small.”

Speaking of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” Daniels said he missed Zac Brown Band’s raucous performance of it on the CMA Awards last week because he was on a cross-country flight — but that he’s eager for its revival. “People ask me how I feel about it. I feel wonderful about it! I think it’s great,” Daniels said. “I got an award from BMI a few weeks ago because this song has played on the air 4 million times. And so let’s hope Zac can get it played 4 million more times.”

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