Never Look at the Empty Seats: A Memoir

Outstanding background and history of a true music legend. Being a fan, I thought I know everything about Charlie Daniels. As the book proved, I was wrong. Charlie provides insight on his early days of music in the 50's and 60's. It is hard to believe a musician that cannot read tables or music sheets can be a sought after session musician. Charlie plays from the heart with a vast knowledge of his instruments and whole lot of soul. Charlie is a family man that treats all of his long time employees as family. Today, Charlie is a voice of the people and a true voice of reason. Charlie's values and integrity never falter as he makes commentary on today's government and politicians. Charlie holds an unwavering belief in the honor and respect for our military men and women. Unlike many so-called celebrities, Charlie donates his time, money, and efforts to help current troops and veterans throughout the world. You can't count on one hand how many times he has been overseas for the troops. As Charlie enters his 80's, he is a constant example of a good man, great musician, good friend, all around cowboy, true American, and Christ-follower.

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Ruth Utz's review Oct 28, 2017 · edit
it was amazing

Have you ever wished you could sit down and have coffee with Charlie Daniels? Most of us won’t get that chance, but if you grab a copy of his memoir you'll have the next best thing! Wait, I take that back; reading his story is great, but what if you could HEAR him tell his story? You can do that too! Just get the audio version of the book and you'll hear Charlie's story, in Charlie's voice!!!

He starts at the beginning of course, the day of his birth, then skips forward a few years, picking a few highlights from his childhood and teen years. Then he tells the story of starting his band, honing his craft, meeting his wife. He speaks from the heart about his music, family, faith, views on politics, and how he has fun….. Everything you ever wanted to know about Charlie Daniels.

I highly encourage you to read (or listen) to this book. I'll be rereading it, and that's not something I say often about a memoir!!!

***DISCLAIMER***
I received an advance copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

"You better watch where you go and remember where you been, that's the way I see it, I'm a simple man" from "Simple Man" is a good description of Charlie Daniels. If you are a fan of the CDB or just want to learn what it takes to be successful in the music business and how Charlie Daniels achieved that status in life you will love this book. From his beginning in North Carolina to Washington DC, Los Angeles and other stops in between to his home in Nashville, it's all here in Never Look at the Empty Seats: A Memoir

You will learn about his journey but also just as much about life, the persistence it takes to succeed and the lessons of gratitude and humility when you do. Some of the things you will learn are,

How 9 words from Bob Dylan made a huge difference in his early career.

His hiring and management philosophy, wisdom on exercising, his spiritual journey and how he uses the Dave Ramsey debt snowball to get out of debt are all inside.

A couple of my favorite quotes from the book are,

"I've always ascribed to the theory that if you can't get what you want, take what you can get and make what you want out of it."

"Walk onstage with a positive attitude. Your troubles are your own and are not included in the ticket price. Some nights you have more to give than others but put it all out there every show. You're concerned with the people who showed up, not the ones who didn't. So always give them a show and never look at the empty seats."

Get your copy today and enjoy the read and the ride.

Book Review: Never Look at the Empty Seats: A Memoir by Charlie Daniels
Anyone who has lived in the US and listens to the radio regularly will know Charlie Daniels and his song about the Devil that went down to Georgia. Charlie has been around the US music scene for decades and has outlived and outplayed many of his early contemporaries such as Elvis Presley. It is amazing to consider what legends this man has known, played music with and just met on a regular basis.
This book is my first direct introduction into the world of country music. I have seen movies and read stories, but I never before took the time and read a book by someone who has been associated with country music and the Southern US music scene for this many years. I am glad I made the decision to read this book. It reads like a crash course on music history of the Southern US and country music from the 1940s on. And despite being a crash course on music history, you get the feeling that Charlie Daniels never really wrote a book, but sat down and talked to someone who shared his interest in music. The book reads like a collection of stories that your old and wise grandfather is sharing with you. Written like a collection of stories in the tradition of the storytellers from the Appalachian Mountains, the book provides valuable life lessons in the form of stories. The reader can draw their own conclusions about what is important in life and people may make different observations in these stories, but anyone of the stories speaks of the experiences of Charlie Daniels from years on the road as a performer. Whether it is never being afraid of failure, doing what you love doing and doing it well or there is some form of reward at the end for hard work, the stories may be focused on Charlie Daniels' life as a performer, but deep down they are stories about people working and living and trying to be good at something.
There may be disappointments and there are maybe few highlights in your life, but you can still be satisfied with any achievement. I recommend this book to any fan of country music, Southern US culture and people just looking for a collection of good stories.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Charlie Daniels has a gift with words, not only in the writing of songs but now with this memoir. This is a book that can only be written by one who has lived a long and interesting life. It is a book of stories from his earliest days to the most recent of his 80-plus years.

I think the average person knows Charlie from his song, The Devil Went Down to Georgia. However, as this memoir will tell you, he has been a performer for decades and has the behind the scenes stories that will keep you turning the pages.

Sometimes the stories are very funny, other times they are sad, they are always honest as he shares his mistakes, his failures, his successes, and his very non-politically correct opinions. Many of those had me laughing out loud and shaking my head in agreement.

His friends have not all been from the music industry. For instance, I was very fascinated with his friendship with Louis L'Amour. What fun it would have been to sit at the table with two very gifted storytellers. I enjoyed reading this book very much and highly recommend it.

Never Look at the Empty Seats was provided by the publisher for the sake of review but the opinions are my own.

**FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW.**

Few artists have left as indelible a mark on America’s music world as Charlie Daniels has. Few have achieved his level of success, much less managed to stay there for as long as he has. Through his memoir, Charlie allows his fans to see a different side of him, to get to know his story, in his own words. He takes us all the way from his post-depression childhood to performing for millions of screaming fans as one of the most successful country music acts of all time, all the while sharing insights from what he’s learned along the way. He also gives his own observations of the artists who crossed his path over the years, artists like Lynard Skynard, The Marshall Tucker Band, Elvis, Tammy Wynette, Willie Nelson, and many more. Charlie also includes a life lesson for us all, regardless of our profession: “Walk on stage with a positive attitude. Your troubles are your own and are not included in the ticket price. Some nights you have more to give than others, but put it all out there for every show. You’re concerned with the people who showed up, not the ones who didn’t. So give them a show and...Never look at the empty seats.”

I’ve always been a big fan of Charlie Daniels so when I got approved to review his memoir, I was really excited. He definitely didn’t disappoint! Charlie was insightful and interesting. He has a real talent for writing and manages to tell his stories in a way that makes you almost feel like you were there. I really enjoyed reading about touring with his bands and his stories about working with other artists. I’ve always enjoyed his music so it was interesting getting more insight into who he is as a person. I particularly love how seamlessly Charlie weaves his faith into his story. You can tell that it’s just a part of who he is, it’s impossible to separate from him because his faith affects every choice he makes. Is he perfect? No, but he never claims to be. He does an amazing job at explaining how Christ wants us to come to Him, as we are now, we don’t have to wait until we’re “good enough”, because salvation is something that we’d never be able to earn on our own. Charlie gives a wonderful explanation of how faith in Jesus is the only way.

He does also touch some on his political beliefs, which some people may not like, because he is conservative. But, it’s another area that I truly respect him in because Charlie obviously does his “homework” and stays informed. Even if you aren’t politically conservative, there is so much in his book that you’ll enjoy. So, don’t let that one area derail you and cause you to miss out on what is truly an enjoyable experience.

NEVER LOOK AT THE EMPTY SEATS
A Memoir of Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels presents a life lesson for all of us in this book. The book is about his life, the struggles of his career and his personal opinions. Charlie shares his early years when he first decided to make music his life dream and the early experiences he had to make that dream come true. Along his way he met a lot of people, many that you will recognize their names and how they were a help to him. It was not an easy road, but he had a dream and stuck to it and became very successful. He life had good moments and bad moments- a failed marriage, the death of his father while still a young man, the death of his mother, arm injuries that could have ended his dream and financial problems. He has met many different people of the world, from authors to celebs, and has performed around the world. His dream took him to all points of show business, music, movies, television and radio.
The book is written in an easy to read format, with short chapters making it very easy to follow his life. There are a couple chapters that really stood out to me. One was when he was describing his faith in God and sharing what he believes. Another was his political thought and how he felt when 9-11 happen.
I think this is a book worth sharing and has a lot of information that would be of interest to all and could help some that have dreams and how one man found his career dreams come true.
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Charlie Daniels is one of my all time favorite performers. I've seen him in concert multiple times and appreciate his music and life. The book, Never Look at the Empty Seats: A Memoir of Charlie Daniels is a must read for his fans.

His music always tells a story, each song tells you something about his life or his thoughts and dreams. The book is very similar. As Daniels shares stories about his childhood through his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. You would have expected it, but it was a crowning accomplishment in his life.

This book will help the reader to better understand who this icon of southern rock / country music is. He tells story after story about life and those who were deeply involved in his life.

His stories are funny, they are sad, they are honest and raw as he shares his successes and his failures. Overall, this is an easy to read and fun, and enlightening book for fans of CDB!

I was provided this book in exchange for an honest review.

**FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW.**

Few artists have left as indelible a mark on America’s music world as Charlie Daniels has. Few have achieved his level of success, much less managed to stay there for as long as he has. Through his memoir, Charlie allows his fans to see a different side of him, to get to know his story, in his own words. He takes us all the way from his post-depression childhood to performing for millions of screaming fans as one of the most successful country music acts of all time, all the while sharing insights from what he’s learned along the way. He also gives his own observations of the artists who crossed his path over the years, artists like Lynard Skynard, The Marshall Tucker Band, Elvis, Tammy Wynette, Willie Nelson, and many more. Charlie also includes a life lesson for us all, regardless of our profession: “Walk on stage with a positive attitude. Your troubles are your own and are not included in the ticket price. Some nights you have more to give than others, but put it all out there for every show. You’re concerned with the people who showed up, not the ones who didn’t. So give them a show and...Never look at the empty seats.”

I’ve always been a big fan of Charlie Daniels so when I got approved to review his memoir, I was really excited. He definitely didn’t disappoint! Charlie was insightful and interesting. He has a real talent for writing and manages to tell his stories in a way that makes you almost feel like you were there. I really enjoyed reading about touring with his bands and his stories about working with other artists. I’ve always enjoyed his music so it was interesting getting more insight into who he is as a person. I particularly love how seamlessly Charlie weaves his faith into his story. You can tell that it’s just a part of who he is, it’s impossible to separate from him because his faith affects every choice he makes. Is he perfect? No, but he never claims to be. He does an amazing job at explaining how Christ wants us to come to Him, as we are now, we don’t have to wait until we’re “good enough”, because salvation is something that we’d never be able to earn on our own. Charlie gives a wonderful explanation of how faith in Jesus is the only way.

He does also touch some on his political beliefs, which some people may not like, because he is conservative. But, it’s another area that I truly respect him in because Charlie obviously does his “homework” and stays informed. Even if you aren’t politically conservative, there is so much in his book that you’ll enjoy. So, don’t let that one area derail you and cause you to miss out on what is truly an enjoyable experience.

NEVER LOOK AT THE EMPTY SEATS
A Memoir of Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels presents a life lesson for all of us in this book. The book is about his life, the struggles of his career and his personal opinions. Charlie shares his early years when he first decided to make music his life dream and the early experiences he had to make that dream come true. Along his way he met a lot of people, many that you will recognize their names and how they were a help to him. It was not an easy road, but he had a dream and stuck to it and became very successful. He life had good moments and bad moments- a failed marriage, the death of his father while still a young man, the death of his mother, arm injuries that could have ended his dream and financial problems. He has met many different people of the world, from authors to celebs, and has performed around the world. His dream took him to all points of show business, music, movies, television and radio.
The book is written in an easy to read format, with short chapters making it very easy to follow his life. There are a couple chapters that really stood out to me. One was when he was describing his faith in God and sharing what he believes. Another was his political thought and how he felt when 9-11 happen.
I think this is a book worth sharing and has a lot of information that would be of interest to all and could help some that have dreams and how one man found his career dreams come true.
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Charlie Daniels is one of my all time favorite performers. I've seen him in concert multiple times and appreciate his music and life. The book, Never Look at the Empty Seats: A Memoir of Charlie Daniels is a must read for his fans.

His music always tells a story, each song tells you something about his life or his thoughts and dreams. The book is very similar. As Daniels shares stories about his childhood through his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. You would have expected it, but it was a crowning accomplishment in his life.

This book will help the reader to better understand who this icon of southern rock / country music is. He tells story after story about life and those who were deeply involved in his life.

His stories are funny, they are sad, they are honest and raw as he shares his successes and his failures. Overall, this is an easy to read and fun, and enlightening book for fans of CDB!

I was provided this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been listening to Mr. Daniels music for some time now! Awesome music with wonderful lyrics!!!! It didn’t surprise me one bit that this book would be Awesome and Amazing!!!! Love the different stories full of truth, logic and common sense!!!! Oh how America needs more people like him!!!! A must have and read! Thanks so much Mr. Daniels for sharing your amazing story!!!!

I have had the privilege of meeting Charlie and listening to his music. In this book he takes us on a journey of his life and the trials and tribulations of it and the people who he has met, who helped him, guided him, and were “family” and friends. A book I would recommend.

A fascinating memoir by Charlie Daniels. Sure I’ve been to a few Charlie Daniel’s concerts and greatly appreciated his musical talents but never knew anything else about the man until now. I am so inspired by him after reading this memoir. He covers facets of his life from humble beginnings to reflections of the past. He has a deep faith and shares some pretty powerful life lessons. Highly recommend reading his engaging story.

I bought an autographed copy from Mr. Daniels site and thoroughly enjoyed the read. But there isn't anything better than hearing the story from the man himself. I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook. His honesty, passion and conviction comes through loud and clear through the voice of Mr. Daniels. I have respected this man since I first started listening to his music in my teenage years, but that respect has grown since hearing his entire story. This memoir is very entertaining all the way trough.

This is a very interesting memoir by the great Charlie Daniels. This book is a great read and well written. Riveting stories. This book portrays an insighful picture of a great artist! I recommend this book without qualifications.

Charlie Daniels is an incredible writer of songs, prose and now his story. Have followed him for almost 45 years now. Thought I knew as much about his career as anyone. Such great stories and details of each step of his musical journey. Written in a style as good as any song he's written.