Remembering fiddler, singer Charlie Daniels

A decade after playing the Lorain County Fair, country music legend Charlie Daniels died earlier this week at age 83. Now "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" singer is on his way to heaven. The singer-fiddle player's authenticity was celebrated by his audience, which could relate to country-themed songs such as "What This World Needs is a Few More Rednecks" and "Redneck Fiddlin' Man." However, as the Lorain County Fair show proved, the virtuosic fiddler's legendary skills and musical dexterity could pivot at a moment's notice from an old school country-rock artist into more of a jam-band sensibility. On that cool August evening, the end of "Saddle Tramp" included an unexpected turn when the seven-piece act launched into a bluesy and jazzy jam that rivaled the Allman Brothers Band. The albeit brief moment was quintessential Daniels — defiant with a wink, just to keep everyone on their toes. During his more than five-decade career, the multiplatinum country and gospel singer enjoyed numerous visits to the Buckeye State. In fact, during his heyday, Daniels played four straight springs and summers in Cleveland. As for his monster "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," the 1979 hit topped the country chart and reached No. 3 on the pop music chart. In a previous interview with the Medina Gazette, Daniels admitted at the time he had no idea that his tale of Johnny facing The Devil would become so big. "I thought it would be a good song for AOR (album-oriented rock) radio, but I had no idea it was going to be a No. 1 song," Daniels said. "At the time I did record two versions because I knew some people wouldn't play the 'SOB' version. "So I did a 'son of a gun' version, too. I tell people I did a Baptist version and a Methodist version. And I won't tell you which is which." Daniels remained active and in the public eye during the last decade of his life. When he wasn't touring, recording on his own, contributing to other country music artists' projects or appearing in a popular Geico commercial, the Country Music Hall of Fame inductee was speaking about politics and supporting the military and underprivileged children. As far as his legacy is concerned, Daniels — during a previous interview — was his typical straight-shooter self. "I've always felt that after people leave us they tend to get bigger than life," Daniels said. "People who couldn't stand them before say good things about them. And the people that said bad things about them don't say them anymore. But my thing is a person needs to be remembered for what they are — no more and no less. I don't think someone ought to be diminished in death or magnified in death. "I think that for one thing, my music speaks for itself. As far as what I am, I'd like to be remembered as a Christian, a humanitarian, as someone who loved his fellow man, tried to get along with everybody and really — sincerely — loved to entertain people." Contact John Benson at Ndiffrence@att.net.