2007 Soap Box Archives

Headin' Home

I don't know about you but I just love Christmas. There's a feeling of anticipation that builds steadily among my road family as the holiday approaches. A feeling that soon it will be time to pack up the equipment and head for home, another year's work done, many concerts played, many miles traveled, many lessons learned.

Of course, it's a joyous feeling for a bunch of men who spend so much of their year away from their families to know they're going to be able to spend a couple of months with the people they love the most before the whole thing starts over again next spring.

³Heading home, two words that thrill the heart of a traveling man especially at this time of the year. Heading for home cooking, playing with the children, taking care of the myriad of things that have to be left undone while the man of the house bounces around the country as part of the band of brothers known as The Charlie Daniels Band.

Yes it is a joyous time indeed, but to me there is always just a shade of sadness to see the instruments loaded into the warehouse and the buses being winterized to set idle for a couple of months, because it means that another chapter of my life has been written, another precious year come and gone.

But for the band, road crew and myself making that last trip of the year home for Christmas has been a special thing for over thirty-five years.

I am indeed a blessed man to be able to make a living doing something I love so very much with a group of people I love so very much, many of whom have been with me for over thirty years.

We've been through so much together, marriages, the birth of children, serious illness, the loss of loved ones, thousands of concerts and millions of miles, all the while with the loving hand of Almighty God protecting and
preserving us.

We've shared danger. I'll never forget the night over Baghdad when some people on the ground fired rocket propelled grenades and small arms at our helicopter, but we were surrounded by the invincible protection of God and flew on into base safely.

We've faced icy roads, cold midnight breakdowns and near misses, but we've never had a serious accident.

I hope that each and every one of you will be able to spend Christmas with your loved ones. I hope that you will be surrounded by the very special love that only a family can provide.

And I would be remiss if I didn¹t send out a special greeting to our heroes in uniform who make it possible for the rest of us to celebrate Christmas in peace.

It is my prayer that God will protect you, give you victory and bring you home to your families soon.

In the meantime please know that you are honored and appreciated, prayed for and missed, and whatever part of the world you happen to be in from all the folks in The Charlie Daniels Band organization we send you a heartfelt
Christmas greeting.

Pray for our troops

What do you think?

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels

December 14, 2007