Hwy 6: New exhibit to honor Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, White Lake native

WHITE LAKE, N.C. (WECT) - Last week, a new exhibit opened its doors in White Lake to honor Charlie Daniels, a native of the town and 2016 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

“Charlie Daniels pioneered the blending of southern rock sounds with mainstream country music, mingling musical traditions ranging from folk and bluegrass to gospel, country, and rock,” states the Country Music Hall of Fame website. “The son of a lumberman, Charles Edward Daniels learned how to play fiddle and guitar in high school. Soon after he was playing in rock & roll bands. By the time Daniels was eighteen, Elvis Presley had cut “It Hurts Me,” a song co-written by Daniels and record producer Bob Johnston. At the urging of Johnston, Daniels moved to Nashville in 1967 to be a session musician.

“Daniels gained work quickly, playing on recordings by a range of artists including Leonard Cohen, Flatt & Scruggs, Claude King, Al Kooper, Marty Robbins, Pete Seeger, Ringo Starr, and, most famously, Bob Dylan. In addition to playing on Dylan’s Nashville Skyline, Daniels can be heard on Dylan’s Self Portrait and New Morning albums.”

Those attending this year’s White Lake Water Festival can stop by the exhibit to learn more about the life and legacy of Daniels. The festival begins Friday, May 19, and will be offering fun, family-friendly activities through Saturday.

WECT is taking Highway 6 to the White Lake Water Festival on Friday, May 19. You can learn more about the festival and find other Highway 6 stories on our website.

To see a schedule of events for the 2023 White Lake Water Festival, click here.

Copyright 2023 WECT. All rights reserved.