Greetings and salutations Hivers. Today let's go into another Evening Groove / Three Tune Tuesday post.

As always, thanks to @ablaze for making this series. Lots of people participate in it! Follow the tags to find a ton of good music recommendation.

Today, something unexpected. Country music?! Kind of. Charlie Daniels music. He was kind of a crossover artist, beginning his career in rock (and working with people like Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, and Leonard Cohen) before moving into Southern Rock and then finally into more of what we would call a country sound. His sound was unique, combining a little of everything, including jazz and blues. Some of his songs, though they weren't called that at the time, are very close to rap, including one you all probably know very well about a deal with the devil. Let's jump in!

Uneasy Rider

One thing Charlie Daniels could do amazingly well was tell a really good story. This is a fun one.

Some trivia: despite the anti-Carter line, Daniels evidently supported him. Carter was a big fan and the band performed for his 1977 inauguration.

The Legend Of Wooley Swamp

Another great story. Some of the comments on this one say they were scared of this song when they were kids. I remember that. Some of my friends were creeped out by this song. I never was, but I can see how young kids might be. Anyway, it's a great tale.

The Devil Went Down to Georgia

This song not only went on to be his biggest hit, but it crossed over into pop culture and we can find it everywhere. From Fry competing with a robot devil in Futurama, to Weird Al referencing the song, to it showing up in modern rap songs. It's everywhere!

And one can see why. It's a great yarn, telling a very traditional tale of a deal with the devil—this time, with the hero beating him.

So what's your favorite?

David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. He blogs here and at laspina.org. Write him on Twitter or Mastodon.