Split Heads
and Frogs
Charlie Daniels
Kurt L Moore
There
are violin players, cello players, fiddle players and then there is
Charlie Daniels. Charlie Daniels is like no other fiddle player in
the world. Fiddle players have abounded on five continents for
centuries, but let me repeat myself by saying that Charlie Daniels
is like no other fiddle player. Trust me on that one.
 Charlie is big, bad, sassy
and pushy in his own style of rough, roadhouse, downtown,
dust-stomping music. Charlie does not simply sing a song or a
ballad, he grinds, minces, pounds, shoves and literally forces his
gravely, North Carolinian voice through the microphone.
Charlie, this year, is well
into his fifth decade as a musician. He started out in the
mid-fifties doing what every kid dreamed of doing; playing with Rock
and Roll groups. Since that beginning, Charlie has tried his hand at
Rhythm and Blues, Country, Jazz, Bluegrass, Country-Western and
about a half-dozen other genres of music. Charlie is as well-rounded
musically as they come.
He is also as well-rounded
physically as they come. He is one big dude and wears possibly the
largest hat I have ever seen on a human. It is somewhere between a
hat-dance sombrero and a 25 gallon Stetson. Charlie plays his fiddle
as if he were the devil with the big hat, as he rides a mile of wide
open stage. Charlie is explosive, loud excitement in blue jeans, as
he pounds his fiddle as no man before has ever done.
 Now when I say that no one
plays the fiddle like Charlie Daniels I mean that. Let me put this
into perspective. The violin bow is usually around 75 cm long and
has approximately 150 horsehairs strung tightly from end to end.
This bow is usually and normally re-haired or restrung twice a year.
Charlie’s bow does not last a complete show.
The photo attached to this
article will attest to that fact. Usage, over a period of time, will
result in split heads and frogs developing in the horsehair. One 60
minute show and Charlie has more split heads than you can imagine
and more than an army of frogs. Charlie mashes, skids, skips and
fries the horsehair in his bow. At the end of his Strawberry
Festival performance, he probably had 50 of his 150 horsehairs still
intact, but begging for mercy.
For your information, a
group of frogs is called an army, just as a group of toads is called
a knot. Yep, geese are still a gaggle of geese. You have now had
your “Animal Groups 101” class for today.
In other words, Charlie
beats, crushes and wrings every drop of music from his fiddle more
than any other person I have ever seen. There are all different
styles of fiddle playing, such as Celtic, American Bluegrass, Old
Time, Western Swing, Mariachi, Gypsy, Jazz, Street and we will add
another; Charlie Daniels’ fiddle mashing. Charlie’s style is as
unique as the man himself.
Charlie Daniels is as
outspoken as he is a great musician. It started back in 1958 when he
was working at a creosoting factory. At that time, there was to be a
lay-off, and Charlie, because of time spent with the company, was
far down on the list. The story goes that a fellow worker, who had
been there longer and was supporting a family, was to be laid off
simply because he was African-American. Charlie got wind of this and
went straight to the foreman and talked him into having himself let
go and keeping the other man. As it turned out, that was a smart
move for everyone. The man for whom he made it possible to stay at
the factory, stayed there until he retired and Charlie Daniels went
on to become ‘the’ Charlie Daniels we all have come to respect and
admire.
Charlie is a super-patriot
who does speak out on issues of which he has strong feelings. You
can go to his web site,
www.charliedaniels.com and read, for yourself, some of his
letters on his “Soapbox” to America.
Charlie Daniels is a true
living legend, as is attested by an award presented to him at the
Music City News and TNN Awards Show. Charlie is the button-popping
proud owner of the distinctive “Living Legend Award” for 1999.
Charlie Daniels is a
one-of-a-kind American. He is made up of pieces from all of us. He
is a patchwork quilt of the best America has to offer. We were
fortunate to have Charlie here in Plant City for the Strawberry
Festival and we hope he comes back often.
Editor’s note: Kurt L.
Moore, entertainment editor is spending some time in Florida and
will be telling of happenings where he is located, until his return
to Branson.
Editor's note:
Charlie Daniels is quite an impressive act.
Joe Sullivan, the great promoter, could do no wrong by bringing
Charlie to Branson for a concert or two. Just a thought, Joe.
© Copyright 2005—Kurt L. Moore—All Rights
Reserved.
klmoore@earthlink.net
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