Flashback: Charlie Daniels Performs ‘Devil Went Down To Georgia’ For The First Time

Flashback: Charlie Daniels Performs ‘Devil Went Down To Georgia’ For The First Time | Classic Country Music | Legendary Stories and Songs Videos

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45 years ago, and on the fifth anniversary of  The Charlie Daniels Band’s annual concert, Volunteer Jam, “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” made its world premiere.

Volunteer Jam V album
Charlie Daniel Band / X

In 1979 at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium, The Charlie Daniels Band was on stage going through their set list when Charlie Daniels said to the crowd,

“Here is a song we just finished writing and recording and we are going to do it for the very first time in public tonight…This is called ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia.’

And with that, Daniels swiftly picks up his fiddle and begins sawing away.

SAN JOSE, CA – 1979: Charlie Daniels performs live at the Spartan Stadium in 1979 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Richard McCaffrey/ Michael Ochs Archive/ Getty Images)

The song would be commercially released later that year on their record Million Mile Reflections and would go on to see the No. 1 chart position in multiple countries. As is traditional with classic country and bluegrass music, the lyrics tell a story throughout the song. This track, in particular, is closer to being spoken than sung in a majority of the verses.

In this truly amazing piece of art, the Charlie Daniels Band not only tells a story with the lyrics but with the music as it changes depending on what’s happening in the story. It also showcases Daniels’ incredible fiddling talent which also serves as the premise for the tale.

STERLING HEIGHTS, MI – JUNE 18: Charlie Daniels of the Charlie Daniels Band performs at Freedom Hill Amphitheater on June 18, 2015 in Sterling Heights, Michigan. (Photo by Scott Legato/Getty Images)

Watch the inaugural performance of Charlie Daniels Band’s super-hit in the video below!

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