1. April 2014
Charlie Daniels – Off The Grid: Doin’ It Dylan
By Walter Price
“He (Dylan) doesn’t have any boundaries with what he does. He puts chords together that you wouldn’t ordinarily think about.” – Charlie Daniels
There are very few artists that really had a hand in shaping the way we hear country-rock or southern-rock music today. For me, there are ultimately only two songwriters/performers responsible for the way it all turned out. One being Gram Parsons and the other being Charlie Daniels.
North Carolina native Daniels cut his teeth in the music business when he had a chance meeting with song writer and producer extraordinaire, Bob Johnston (Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkle, Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen). It was this relationship that helped define generations of music. A working and personal friendship, that historically led to Daniels being called on as a sessions player on legendary albums by Dylan, Cohen and later with artists Ringo Starr and Al Kooper.
When Daniels took the step to the front of the stage in the early 70’s the musical landscape would never be the same again. You just need to listen to any one of his country-boogie-rockin’ albums from this era to understand the foundations on which Daniels, probably unknowingly, was laying for almost every rock and/or country artist that followed.
This is now and Charlie has paid tribute to one of the artists he’s collaborated with and a man Daniels has endless and endearing adulation for, Bob Dylan, with his new release Off The Grid.
1. ‘Tangled Up in Blue’
2. ‘The Times They Are a Changin’’
3. ‘I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight’
4. ‘Gotta Serve Somebody’
5. ‘I Shall Be Released’
6.’Country Pie’
7. ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’
8. ‘A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall’
9. ‘Just Like a Woman’
10. ‘Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)’
10. ‘Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)’
This isn’t a gimmick to sell a million units but a true homage to Bob Dylan from a peer and long time fan with many miles behind him and a timely voice to do it properly. CDB style…
Here is some of my interview with Charlie from last November.
How did you come to know Bob Johnston?
I met Bob in 1959 on a trip to California when I stopped in Fort Worth to visit a friend who introduced me to him.
Would it be fair to say Johnston gave you your first big break or at least gave you a foot in the door in the music business?
Definitely
How old of a man were you when you co-wrote “It Hurts Me”, what were your thoughts when you hear Elvis wanted to record it?
Around 27 and I was ecstatic when Elvis recorded it.
Even though it’s mentioned in several of your bio’s many people don’t know that you played on three of Bob Dylan’s great albums. Including ‘Self Portrait’… Did you just play bass/guitar as a session player or did you have any say on the arrangements?
I played guitar and bass and the arrangements just kind of happened.
How would you say it was working with Dylan in the studio?
It was fun and educational.
Before you started CDB you seem to be one of the most in-demand session musicians going at the time. How did you find yourself working with Leonard Cohen?
Bob Johnston was producing and put me on Leonard’s sessions, but I was never one of the first call session players in Nashville.
The list goes on, who did you play with or for at the period in your life that you think was the real deal and/or that maybe doesn’t get much mention these days?
I played sessions with a lot of people but I soon found out that my heart was on the stage with my own band doing my own songs
How long into being a very busy session player before you really wanted to do your own sounds?
Not long
Your debut album is probably one of the best debuts of any artist of any genre. Matter of fact, or so I think, critics didn’t even know how to describe you at first. How did you feel to finally get those songs out to the world? And what did you think about the critics?
Actually it took five albums for me to really find myself and start being myself.
Fire on the Mountain was the real jumping off place for CDB
As an outsider looking in I’ve always thought that you really didn’t care about radio play or critical acclaim, am I far off?
Yes, way off. I like recognition as well as any one .
Man, you made so many important albums. Let’s talk 1979’s ‘Million Mile Reflections’. That thing exploded upon release. How were you doing personally when you had become one of the biggest stars around?
I never looked at myself as a star, I never surrounded myself with yes men, I always had people who helped me keep my feet on the ground and my head out of the clouds.
I used to get up early for school so I could catch The Devil Went Down To Georgia on the radio before that bus came. At the time, did you realize what a role that album and all your previous works were playing in the music world or on culture in general?
I just felt very blessed when my music had an effect on someone but it was always hard for me to judge the gravity of the effect.
By the time the 80’s hit pop music was severely changing the way country music and rock n’ roll was sounding. Yet, you really didn’t change you style. Does that go back to your preserved indifference to trends?
I just feel that I do a better job of being me than I would of trying to do it somebody else’s way.
You seemed to really enjoy the ‘good life’…At what point in your career did you decide the wild life wasn’t for you? You’ve been known to change some of your lyrics at shows, why is this important to you?
Although I had my share of good times my family has always been more important to me than the wild side of life and if you take your profession seriously and you want to be successful you’ve got to keep it together.
As far as the lyrics I got concerned that young people would think I was condoning a life style that could be detrimental to them.
I have seriously tried to live closer to the teachings of my Lord Jesus Christ for many years now.
You are a patriotic man to the core. What is it about being an American that makes you the proud man you are?
I think this is the greatest and freest nation on earth and worth fighting for.
Why do you think people fear writing about God in their songs these days?
I guess they fear criticism.
Are you ever afraid your outspoken thoughts and beliefs will offend people?
Offense is not my intention but my opinions are honest and anybody has the right to disagree with me.
Have you ever reflected on what your music has done for the Southern sound?
Not really, I’d rather leave that evaluation to others.
You still record with other artists; of the newer acts who do you really enjoy?
Justin Moore
Out of everything you have done, achieved, contributed, seen, the highs and the lows, what is the biggest misconception the world may have about Charlie Daniels?
Probably in thinking I’m a natural musician, I’m not, I have to work really hard to be proficient on my instruments.
The above video belongs to the AssociatedPress YouTube Channel.