Charlie Daniels recently sat down with Dan Rather for an interview dubbed Charlie Daniels: The Big Interview. In this excerpt, Rather talks to the musical legend about the heart of country music.
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As most people know, Daniels can be a bit of a wild card. So when he starts talking about country radio, you're not sure what to expect. But his answer comes out surprisingly positive, even considering today's polarizing country landscape.
Rather breaches the topic in an open-ended manner. "There is something about country music," Rather starts. "If you disagree, tell me. Even for people who don't particularly like country music — or thought they didn't like — there's something at least special, maybe unique about country music."
See Daniels' response below.
Obviously, it could've gone much differently. When you see what most legacy artists say about current country music, they don't mince words. Heck, even Kenny Rogers basically said current country music made him retire.
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But it's nice to see such a respectful answer from Daniels. Because he approaches his answer from a fan's perspective. For the people who listen to country radio, a lot of those songs do resonate.
Now, the partying and carefree attitudes get old after awhile. When that's all you hear, you'd think country radio is missing the point. But at the heart of a diverse country station, you'll hear music that truly does connect with its audience.
