Summer Concert Series: Preachin' Prayin' Singin' (2005)

Note: Hello my friends, for three days this blog will cover concert films featuring country music and rock and roll icon, Charlie Daniels. Charlie recently passed away suddenly from a stroke. Though Charlie recorded many studio albums (most as part of The Charlie Daniels Band), what he enjoyed the most about his career was being on stage entertaining audiences. That is why these films are so important now that he is no longer around to do concerts. Films last forever and so through these movies we will forever be able to enjoy the man doing what he did best.

This film shows a completely different side of Charlie Daniels than what we saw in Volunteer Jam (1976). While that movie showed Charlie rocking out with some of the greats of southern rock, this film shows him surrounded by bluegrass and country music greats (Mac Wiseman, Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Gary Scruggs, The Whites, Del McCoury, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury)  preaching the gospel and performing bluegrass gospel music. This is a much more up close and personal performance from Charlie. He is laughing, joking and hanging out with his friends just as much as he is playing music. We see them discussing the history of bluegrass music (of which Charlie is very knowledgeable). This makes the movie feel like time spent with friends as well as a concert. This is not to say there is anything lacking in the music. This film is pure bluegrass gospel at its finest and Charlie sounds just as perfect with these songs as he does rocking out with the CDB. Of course the highlight for all bluegrass fans is when one of the greatest legends of the genre comes out to join, Earl Scruggs. He and Charlie's rendition of the bluegrass standard Salty Dog Blues would make this a must see film for bluegrass fans even if it was the whole movie.

This film was shot in black and white and that works perfectly as it adds to the intimate and unpretentious feeling of this performance. Other than being in black and white the filmmaking never calls attention to itself, yet does a marvelous job and this is actually quite a well made film as well as being a great concert. 

-Michael J. Ruhland