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You\u2019ve never heard the Charlie Daniels Band<\/a>\u2019s \u201cThe Devil Went Down To Georgia\u201d quite like this. In fact, until this week no one has.<\/p>\n Charlie Daniels<\/a>\u2019 son Charlie Jr. has worked with StarVista Music to restore and release the very first live performance of the iconic country song. The younger Daniels isn\u2019t wrong in saying his father hadn\u2019t quite gotten it all figured out yet.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can almost feel how hesitant they are at first as they listen to the song and then the energy grows as they realize that something special is happening,\u201d he shares.<\/p>\n Taste of Country Readers are getting a chance to hear the song first. Listen, and then compare to the record you\u2019ve come to know and love.\u00a0The structure of the two versions match but the powerful fills and solos that make this fiddle-led track so memorable are only in nascent form.<\/p>\n Related<\/strong><\/em>: The Charlie Daniels Band’s 10 Best Songs of All Time<\/a><\/p>\n The recording will be released to all digital streaming platforms on April 10.<\/p>\n Fans know this to be a historic Volunteer Jam for several reasons. Not only was this the first time the public heard what would become CDB’s signature song, it was a reunion of Lynyrd Skynyrd’<\/a>s surviving members, just months after the fatal plane crash.<\/p>\n Of course the Charlie Daniels Band headlined, as they did with every Volunteer Jam. That means fans were hyped to hear new music. You can literally hear the enthusiasm for “Devil,” even as Daniels messes up a lyric.<\/p>\n “Because of its condition and the fact that magnetic particles were literally shedding off the tape, only small segments of the song could be transferred at a time, so constant breaks were needed to stop, clean the equipment heads, rewind, record and start all over again until it was completely reassembled,” Daniels Jr. shares of the painstaking preservation process.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very proud of my dad and everything he accomplished, and this recording is something that’s exciting for his fans to experience and helps keep his legacy strong.”<\/p>\n In the nearly 50 years since its release, “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” has become one of the most recognizable country songs of all time. It’s often covered but never replicated.<\/p>\n Daniels recently ranked at No. 25 on our list of\u00a050 classic country artists today\u2019s fans should know.<\/p>\n Today’s country music stars owe a debt of gratitude to the legends who formed and cultivated the genre, starting in the early 20th century. These 50 classic country artists remain relevant today. Some developed a style that’s emulated on today’s country radio. Others set a bar for vocal talent or songwriting skill.<\/p>\n Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
50 Classic Country Artists Today\u2019s Fans Should Know<\/h2>\n