Charlie Daniels stays on "Key"
The 10-song release features lead vocals, guitar and fiddle by Daniels, James Stroud on drums and percussion, Billy Crain on guitar and Charlie Hayward on bass.
"Beau Weevils - Songs in the Key of E is the culmination of a long held desire of James Stroud and myself to do a project together," said Daniels. "We had worked together, with James in the capacity of producer, which had resulted in some of our most successful albums for The Charlie Daniels Band, but James is one of the finest and most soulful drummers in the business, and I figured we could get together, musician to musician, and come up with something special. We just needed a vehicle in the form of songs that would fit the bill."
Daniels describes the new recordings as "downhome, swampy rock meets funk with a little taste of 'Delta' type of style."
"The whole thing started one day when I, as I often do, was fooling around with my guitar and came up with the opening riff on a song that eventually turned out to be 'Mudcat,'" said Daniels. "That song set the style for the rest of the songs I would write, that all lent themselves to being played in the key of E, hence the title."
Daniels wrote or co-wrote all 10 tunes. Stroud and Casey Wood produced the project with Daniels' manager David Corlew serving as executive producer.
Stroud has played with The Pointer Sisters, Paul Simon, Gladys Knight and Bob Seger. Stroud produced albums for Tim McGraw and Clint Black in the 1990s. Stroud helmed Giant Records (at which time he discovered Clay Walker), DreamWorks Records Nashville (where he signed Toby Keith and produced four of the singer's multi-platinum albums) and served as Co-Chairman of Universal Music Group in Nashville (steering the careers of the likes of Vince Gill, George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire and Sugarland). He founded his own independent label, Stroudavarious Records, and later, R&J Records.
Stroud also produced several albums for The Charlie Daniels Band including Homesick Heroes ('88), Simple Man ('89), and Renegade ('91).
Crain has performed with The Allman Brothers Band, The Rossington-Collins Band, The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, The Outlaws and the Henry Paul Band. He's the brother of the late Charlie Daniels Band guitarist, Tommy Crain.
Hayward is best known for playing bass on Gregg Allman's critically-acclaimed album, "Laid Back." He sat in with The Allman Brothers Band after bass guitarist Berry Oakley was involved in a motorcycle accident.
The track list is:
1. Geechi Geechi Ya Ya Blues
2. Bad Blood
3. Mexico Again
4. Louisiana Blues
5. Oh, Juanita
6. Smokey's Got Your Number
7. Mudcat
8. Everybody's Gotta Go Sometime
9. We'll All Have Some
10. How We Roll
More news for Charlie Daniels
- 07/16/21: Daniels, Worsham, Webster release new music
- 01/29/21: Volunteer Jam gets pushed back to August
- 07/09/20: Daniels memorial service coming Friday
- 07/06/20: Charlie Daniels passes away at 83
- 07/06/20: Country community reacts to Daniels passing
- 06/01/20: Charlie Daniels' Beau Weevils create video
- 12/07/17: Volunteer Jam returns
CD reviews for Charlie Daniels

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