All over the country today, parades were held and speeches were made. Images of American flags and soldiers were posted on social media. “Thank you’s” were delivered in the form of restaurant discounts, shopping specials, and simple words and gestures. Veterans Day has almost come and gone, but that doesn’t make our past, present, and future military members any less appreciated. And if it’s one thing country music proudly stands for, it’s America and our freedom. Gracious artists are more often than not visiting hospitals, veteran centers and performing for troops both at home and overseas. And if we were to ask you to name an artist in particular, one of your first thoughts would probably be Charlie Daniels.
Charlie Daniels has long been a staple in the worlds of southern rock, gospel, and country music. A member of the Musicians Hall of Fame, The Country Music Hall of Fame, and The Opry, Daniels has devoted his multi-platinum career to support the military, underprivileged children, and others in need. An outspoken patriot and proud Christian, he has never made his achievements about himself. In fact, he never even talks about himself in interviews or in passing. At 83 years old, he is on the go, using his voice more than ever to raise money and support causes that benefit those around him.
2019 has been extremely busy for Mr. Daniels. Just a few days ago, he released “Freebird in the Wind” with Shenandoah, a ballad that tells of the tragic 1977 plane crash that killed several members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. He just performed on Huckabee and his tour calendar is filled with dates through the end of the year.
But the work he seems to be most passionate about is anything having to do with our service men and women. In 2014, Daniels and his manager David Corlew started a non-profit organization called The Journey Home Project to assist other non-profits with funds to benefit veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
“The philosophy and mission of Journey Home is to help our men and women in uniform when they come back from their service-most of them combat situations-reintegrate back into civilian life, which sounds like a very simple thing to us who have never done it. But there are a lot of very unique needs. . . I have to emphasize that the entities that are tasked with helping our military folks are all bureaucracies which are very slow by nature. And a lot of the needs are immediate. They need it tonight. They need it tomorrow. . . .and so we try to fill in some needs that are missed. We do things that a big organization probably wouldn’t do or wouldn’t know how to go about doing,” Daniels told The Country Note back in September when Daniels hosted his second “Charlie Daniels Patriot Award Dinner” at The Palm in downtown Nashville. (Watch the full interview below.)
Between the dinner tickets and an auction that included signed memorabilia from artists, sports players, and other icons, over $200,000 was raised for The Journey Home Project. Emceed by SiriusXM’s Storme Warren and former Navy Seal David Rutherford, Darryl Worley gave a performance of “Have You Forgotten” before awards were presented to Nashville businessman Donnie Mingus and talent buyer/promoter Judy Seale for their work on supporting the return, rehabilitation, and reintegration of soldiers back into everyday civilian life. Chris Young also made an appearance to present the Patriots Award to the Shepherds Men, an organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the SHARE Military Initiative at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. The sold out event featured remarks from decorated military veterans Mark “Oz” Geist and Michael Flynn and former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik. For more information, visit thejourneyhomeproject.org.
And don’t let the one event fool you. Daniels works year round to ensure that our veterans are taken care of, even when he feels important government officials sometimes look the other way. Earlier in the summer, Daniels spoke and performed at the Veteran Impact Celebration for the second year in a row. The fundraiser took place in Murfreesboro, TN to benefit MTSU’s Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center and featured a private dinner and a VIP meet and greet/photo opp with Daniels. In addition, retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Keith M. Huber, MTSU senior advisor for veterans and leadership initiatives, spoke. Always one to tie in multiple beneficiaries when possible, the June event also raised money for the Daniels Center’s Transition Home Office, which assists students with their transition from college student to job search to career placement. Overall, the night raised $150,000.
The spring was just as packed for “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” singer. In May, The Journey Home Project held a special reception for The Shepherd’s Men as the team of men plowed through Music City during it’s annual Shepherd’s Run. The week long run stops in seven cities in the Eastern part of the US to raise awareness for troops with traumatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder. But It’s not just any run. The team, made up of active and former servicemen, runs 22 kilometers (nearly 14 miles) each day, wearing a 22 pound vest to represent the 22 veteran suicides that happen per day. They also raise awareness and resources for the SHARE Military Initiative at the Shepherd Center. During the reception once again held at The Palm, Daniels presented a check for $25,000. To learn more about the SHARE initiative and the Shepherd Center, visit For more information on The Shepherd’s Men, visit shepherdsmen.com.
And if you are going to Washington, DC anytime soon, be sure and check out The Alliance Collection, the new art exhibit at The Pentagon. The Journey Home Project has partnered with the Rich Poverty organization as of this past April for the next year to display a gallery of combat and civilian photographs taken by veterans and their families. 50 artists from around the world have photos on display, including pictures taken during various conflict throughout history, ranging from WWII to present day.
The Country Note would like to personally thank Charlie Daniels, his wife Hazel, his Board of Directors, and his entire team for the outstanding work they do on behalf of our military. To learn more about Charlie Daniels, including tour dates, visit charliedaniels.com.