NASHVILLE — Lawrence County native Bobby Bare paid tribute on Monday to his fellow Country Music Hall of Fame member, Charlie Daniels, who died Monday at age 83.

“Charlie Daniels has been like a brother to me since the early ‘70s,” Bare said in a post on Facebook. “He’s one of the greatest, kindest people I’d ever met in my life.”
Bare shared his favorite memories of the famous fiddler and singer.

“Not only Charlie — but he surrounded himself with incredible people that I love, especially his wife Hazel. We did a duet of a song Charlie wrote called Willie Jones and it was one of the most fun studio sessions I’ve been in. I’ve always loved playing Volunteer Jams through the years. I will miss my dear friend.”

A statement from Daniels’ publicist said the Country Music Hall of Famer died at a hospital in Hermitage, Tennessee, after doctors said he had a stroke. He had suffered what was described as a mild stroke in January 2010 and had a heart pacemaker implanted in 2013 but continued to perform.

Daniels, a singer, guitarist and fiddler, started out as a session musician, even playing on Bob Dylan’s “Nashville Skyline” sessions. Beginning in the early 1970s, his five-piece band toured endlessly, sometimes doing 250 shows a year.

Daniels performed at White House, at the Super Bowl, throughout Europe and often for troops in the Middle East.

“The Devil Went Down to Georgia” was No. 1 on the country charts in 1979 and No. 3 on the pop charts. It was voted single of the year by the Country Music Association.

The Associated Press contributed to this report