Another Heavenly Birthday - Soapbox Jr.
It keeps getting harder to believe that Dad would have been 89 this year... almost 90! There’s not a day that goes by that there’s a question I want to ask him about. It may be a question about his career, something related to the business, advice or just how he’s doing.
But to think about him being 90 next year, I’d already be readying merchandise designs celebrating that milestone like we did back in 2016 on his 80th. We would no doubt be planning a party and a celebration that would go from January to the Fan Club family reunion in June all the way up to October. In 2016 there was an 80th Birthday Volunteer Jam, and a 90th Birthday Jam sounds pretty good too.
But sadly, he didn’t make it to 90, and if I had an inkling that he would be gone as quickly as he did, I would have been stocking up on answers to questions and savoring each remaining day we had left.
Unfortunately, we were still in the middle of the pandemic and I didn’t get to hug him for about four months, and that was on his deathbed.
I miss my Dad terribly, and I have made it my mission to keep his legacy alive and thriving for future generations.
What may surprise you is that he had envisioned shutting everything down, end of story once he left this world. But to me, there was so much more unrealized dreams, stories and music, hidden gems in our vaults along with exciting new ways for fans to experience his legacy.
I preferred the approach that Beau L’Amour, son of famed Western author – and friend of Dad’s – Louis L’Amour has taken. Beau has stated that his mission is to bring his Dad’s operation to a close as gracefully and as slowly as possible, and Beau has done a remarkable job finding and editing older short stories or unfinished works and even thinking outside the box with a large page graphic novel of one Louis’ stories.
Beau’s approach feels right to me. Personally, as much as Dad accomplished in his lifetime, I think he still thought he had more time to deliver some more of his creativity, and he was still such a humble guy that he couldn’t foresee his legend grow after he wasn’t around to entertain the fans anymore.
But after what has felt like spinning my wheels fighting uphill battles for over five years, things are finally starting to happen.
In no particular order, here’s some things to look forward to. First of all, we are continuing to build up Dad’s Blue Hat Records label. We digitally released a live album recorded at Gilley’s in 1987, a patriotic album which had previously only been available on CD at Cracker Barrell and a 2005 concert.
I don’t know how it will all pan out, but I’ve made some discoveries with regards to previously unreleased music and I’m determined to make them available, be it on Blue Hat or through Sony Legacy.
We announced a Legend of Charlie Daniels tribute album and we are planning a tour built around the project. I’ve said all along that I want this to be a touring celebration of his life, and there are going to be some spectacular elements to this show.
We are also getting closer on a project that will allow fans to experience some prominent bands from the South in ways you would never expect.
Ironically, the first project we started on is the one that we’ve had the most trouble finalizing, a Charlie Daniels documentary. We’ve had some serious interest, but when we first started, I think production slates were filled with projects that had been sitting around during the pandemic, and those got priority. However, it does look like we’ve found a home for it. I’m hoping I can announce something soon, although to me, Dad’s life was so long and eventful, I don’t know if it works better as a multi-part series than a standard documentary, but we shall see.
The documentary has opened doors for a potential scripted story of Dad’s life, which would be exciting.
And the one project that I am the most excited about is the one that I can say the least about. But, it also involves a scripted motion picture.
We’re also partnering with a company to clean up and polish some of the CDB’s Volunteer Jam performances and make the available for the first time.
And Dad still had one non-fiction book he finished before he went home, we’re just trying to figure out the best way to make it work.
And I still want to see an adaptation of “A Carolina Christmas Carol” and find a home for Dad’s children’s project at some point.
Dad’s creativity was off the charts. People don’t realize that he and his guitar player, Chris Wormer, had been writing a symphony together. That is one I don’t know if it will ever be fully realized, but who knows.
So – like Beau – I’m looking to bring Dad’s operation to a close, gracefully and slowly.
I’m in it for the long haul, and to keep Dad’s legacy alive. I hope we can extend it for at least another 90 years.
Y’all ain’t seen nothin’ yet!
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Dad. You were without a doubt, the best there's ever been, and we miss you like crazy.
What do you think?
Let’s all make the day count!
Pray for our troops, our police, the Peace of Jerusalem and our nation.
God Bless America!
#SonyReleaseHonkyTonkAve
#BenghaziAintGoingAway #End22
- Charlie Daniels, Jr.
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