Southern rockers to play Westbury together

The Island Now

Legendary Southern rock acts Charlie Daniels Band and The Marshall Tucker Band will be coming to the NYCB Theatre at Westbury on Saturday, Sept. 7. Before the concert there will be a car and motorcycle show presented by Nassau County Firefighter’s Operation Wounded Warrior.

From his Dove award-winning gospel albums to his genre-defining rock anthems and his Country Music Association award-winning country hits, few artists have left more of a mark on America’s musical landscape than Charlie Daniels. 

Still rocking at age 76, Daniels has parlayed his passion for music into a multi-platinum career and a platform to support the military, underprivileged children and others in need, such as The Angelus, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the T.J. Martell Foundation.

Daniels is known for hits such as “Long Haired Country Boy,” “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” “In America,” “The Legend of Wooley Swamp,” and of course, his signature song, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” which won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1979 as well as Single of the Year at the CMA Awards.

Daniels performed in the hit 80s movie “Urban Cowboy,” played on such landmark albums as Bob Dylan’s “Nashville Skyline,” and co-wrote a song Elvis Presley recorded. Whether singing on Easter Sunday at his local church or leading an all-star cast at one of his famed Volunteer Jams, Daniels exudes joy whenever he steps on stage.

Over the course of his career, Daniels has received numerous accolades, including induction into the Grand Ole Opry and Musicians Hall of Fame. He’s been presented the Pioneer award by the Academy of Country Music and was honored as a BMI Icon in recognition of his songwriting. In 2009, he received a star on the Music City Walk of Fame.

Years of great music and rigorous tour schedules have earned The Marshall Tucker Band the respect of critics and countless fans. With hit singles like “Heard It In a Love Song,” “Fire On The Mountain,” “Can’t You See,” and “Take The Highway,” the band earned seven gold and three platinum albums while they were on the Capricorn Records label. During the 90s, the Marshall Tucker Band scored four hit singles on Billboard’s country chart and one on Billboard’s gospel chart.

The Marshall Tucker Band got its start in Spartanburg, SC when lead singer Doug Gray, who is still the band’s frontman, teamed up with Tommy and Toy Caldwell, Paul T. Riddle, George McCorkle and Jerry Eubanks. The band borrowed the name Marshall Tucker from a piano tuner whose name was found on a key ring in their old rehearsal space. In 1972, they signed with Capricorn Records, the same label that guided The Allman Brothers Band, Wet Willie, and others to national fame. They opened shows for The Allman Brothers in 1973, and they began to headline their own shows across America due to the platinum-plus sales of their debut album the following year,

In the following years, The Marshall Tucker Band would influence major country acts like Alabama, The Kentucky Headhunters, Confederate Railroad and Travis Tritt with its definitive blend of rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, country and gospel. Along the way, The Marshall Tucker Band has recorded 22 studio albums, three DVDs, three live albums and many compilations. After 37 years, they continue to be played on classic rock and country radio and have never stopped touring.

The pre-concert car and motorcycle show is presented by the Nassau County Firefighter’s Operation Wounded Warrior and will include music by Dr. G’s Veteran Band, Samaritan, on the Budweiser Patio starting at 5 p.m. The pre-show parking lot party will include food, prizes, local vendors and a salute to our local service men and women by local firefighters.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $49.50 plus applicable service charges and are available now online at www.ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Westbury box office. Event, date and time are subject to change. For more information, visit: www.thetheatreatwestbury.com.  Doors are at 5 p.m. for the pre-show Car & Motorcycle show presented by the Nassau County Firefighter’s Operation Wounded Warrior.

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