For those not in the know, Charlie Daniels is an American multi-instrumentalist, lyricist, and singer, known for his contributions to country, bluegrass, and Southern rock music. He is perhaps best known for his number one country hit 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia', and multiple other songs he has written and performed.

Indeed, Daniels has been active as a singer and musician since the 1950s and was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on January 24th, 2008, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.

Over his long career in music — stretching back more than 60 years now — country legend Charlie Daniels has racked up an impressive list of hit songs, awards and accolades. In October, Daniels turns 80 years old and he’ll celebrate that milestone a month later, with an all-star 80th Birthday Jam in Nashville.

Most of our concepts about cowboys, and all things western, are mostly derived from movies and TV. Well, the truth of the matter is, the real cowboys are not glow in the dark characters who go around fighting rustlers and cleaning out saloons with their fists. The actual working cowboy is a hard-working, different breed who spend endless hours in the saddle and as Louis L'Amour said, they 'ride for the brand.'

Ergo, Charlie Daniels' brand new album, Nighthawk is a tribute to the working cowboy and his way of life. We kick off with the banjo fun of 'Big Balls in Cowtown' which is backed perfectly with the storytelling of 'Billy the Kid', the stoic title track ballad, 'Night Hawk' and then the fun of 'Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)'. The forlorn harmonica of 'Goodnight Loving Trail' is next, which leads us delightfully into my own personal favorite track on this new album, the classic CDB themed '(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend'. Sounding as great as he did back then, this track, above all others (for me) summarizes the great man just perfectly here.

Next us is the countrified 'Running with the Crowd' which is backed by the banjo and fiddle fest 'Old Chisholm Trail'. Packed full of "yippie yo, yippie yay's", it's yet another flashback to an era that Daniels once owned, and that is followed by the front porch retelling of 'Can't Beat the Damned Ole Machine', before the album (sadly) comes to an end with a more sedate, more thoughtful set of "yippie's" on 'Yippie Ki Yea'.