Popular Singer, Charlie Daniels Dies At 83

Charlie Daniels, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame who sang "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," recorded with Bob Dylan and was a vocal supporter of U.S. veterans, died Monday morning after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke. He was 83.

By the time the Charlie Daniels Band topped the charts with “Devil” in 1979, the instrumentalist, singer and songwriter had long established a remarkable, multifaceted career in Nashville. As a session musician, he played on three of Bob Dylan’s albums — including the revolutionary “Nashville Skyline” — as well as recordings for Ringo Starr and Leonard Cohen.  

He was a fixture of the touring circuit for the next 40 years, became a tireless advocate for servicemen and women, and entered the information age as one of country music's most outspoken conservative voices.

"His music fused the immediacy of Southern rock with the classic country storytelling that he heard as a child," Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, said Monday. "He brought new audiences to country music, pointing people to the sources even as he explored the edges."

He is survived by his wife, Hazel; son, Charles William Daniels; and Alaya Nowling and Evan Tubb, whom Daniels considered his grandchildren.