The music of Country Music Hall of Famer Charlie Daniels is no stranger to critical acclaim and his latest studio album, Beau Weevils - Songs in the Key of E, is again proving just that. Since its October release, Beau Weevils (collectively made up of Daniels, James Stroud, Billy Crain and Charlie Hayward) has critics raving:
"Beau Weevils - Songs in the Key of E offers swampy, toe-tapping, story-telling in which Charlie Daniels creatively showcases his distinct voice, musicianship and the skills of some of Nashville's best players." -Cindy Watts, The Tennessean / USA Today
"This hard driving country rock rollick is a down and dirty blues blowout. In fine form, Daniels digs in hard with blazing guitars, solid drums and a backwoods vocal growl." -Laura Whitmore, Parade Magazine
"A revelatory reinvention of a living legend. The collection is called Beau Weevils - Songs in the Key of E, and you need it in your life." -Robert K Oermann, Music Row Magazine
"The blues, rock and country dive deep into the swamp when Charlie Daniels and his new band the Beau Weevils go back to their roots of loud guitar and thumping drums. Story telling, driving melodies and fun blast from the speakers and the stage, thanks to this magic combination." -Storme Warren, SiriusXM
"Daniels follows his music where it takes him, and this album carries him into some new territory that allows him to experiment successfully with a new approach."
-Henry Carrigan, No Depression
"The players combined a swampy rock sound with funk and jazz, then stirred in a little taste of southern Delta blues style to make magic in the studio, giving the music fan an album that plays beautifully from start to finish." -Vernell Hackett, Elmore Magazine
"Charlie Daniels and the Beau Weevils do not disappoint, and it proves that Daniels is like fine wine, where he only gets better with age. This 10-track CD garners an A rating." -Markos Papadatos, Digital Journal
The new ten-track album that Daniels describes as "Downhome, Swampy Rock meets Funk with a little taste of 'Delta' type of style," features the country legend on lead vocals, guitar and fiddle, Stroud on drums and percussion, Crain on guitar, and 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," says Daniels. "We had worked together, with James in the capacity of producer, which resulted in some of our most successful albums for The Charlie Daniels Band. He's 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 wrote or co-wrote all ten tunes on the new compilation. Stroud and Casey Wood produced the project with Daniels' manager David Corlew serving as executive producer.
CMA and ACM Award-winning James Stroud's history as a musician, producer, music publisher and industry executive spans over 40 years. As a drummer/percussionist, he has played behind the likes of The Pointer Sisters, Paul Simon, Gladys Knight, Bob Seger and dozens more. He produced his first hit in 1976 with the triple platinum-selling "Misty Blue" by Dorothy Moore. Stroud achieved major country music success producing albums for Tim McGraw and Clint Black in the 1990s. After making his foray into the record label side of the industry, 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 would go on to found his own independent label, Stroudavarious Records, and later, R&J Records. Stroud has produced albums that have collectively sold millions of copies, and had over 100 #1 records, including three chart-toppers with country star Chris Young. Stroud also produced several albums for The Charlie Daniels Band including Homesick Heroes ('88), Simple Man ('89), and Renegade ('91).
A staple of the southern rock scene since early 1970s, Billy 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.
Longtime Charlie Daniels Band guitarist Charlie Hayward is best known for playing bass on Gregg Allman's critically-acclaimed album, Laid Back. His additional credits include performing with Dr. John and Alex Taylor. The album is available for purchase now at iTunes, Amazon, Google Play andcharliedaniels.com.
Beau Weevils - Songs in the Key of E Track Listing: 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 *REVIEW COPIES AVAILABLE TO MEDIA UPON REQUEST (Beau Weevils - Songs in the Key of E available via Blue Hat Records / distributed by BFD Distribution through The Orchard) About Charlie Daniels From his Dove Award-winning gospel albums to his genre-defining southern rock anthems and his CMA Award-winning country hits, few artists have left a more indelible mark on America's musical landscape than Charlie Daniels. An outspoken patriot, beloved mentor, and still a road warrior at age 82, Daniels has parlayed his passion for music into a multi-platinum career and a platform to support the military, underprivileged children, and others in need. The Charlie Daniels Band has long populated radio with memorable hits and his signature song, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." Over the course of his career, Daniels has received numerous accolades, including his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Musicians Hall of Fame and becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Daniels helps to shine the spotlight on the many causes that are close to his heart. He's a staunch supporter of the military and lends his time and talent to numerous charitable organizations, including The Journey Home Project, that he founded in 2014 with his manager, David Corlew, to help veterans of the United States Armed Forces. For more information, visit charliedaniels.com.
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