Biography

George Daniels was born April 27, 1929 in Macon County, Alabama. George remained close the area that he was raised until his death. He can really sing the blues and is a deep blues guitar and harp player. George treasures and nurtures the old ways in which he was raised. He makes his own molasses and can distill a world-class rye whiskey.

How We Helped:
Music Maker Relief Foundation provides George Daniels with financial assistance for prescription medicine and recorded his first full CD, “George Daniels Rocks Out.” George is also featured in the book Music Makers: Portraits and Songs from the Roots of America (2004).

George said, “I learned to play from my daddy. He gave me a guitar and I began to play when I was 7 years old. The first song I learned was “Rabbit on the Log.” I started blowing the harp for school marches. We had about 4 piece marching band playing the harp. We were just little kids. We marched and blew for school events and such. I got into the blues when I was 21 years old. I got some of those records and I started playing behind them.

My daddy was a farmer, I farmed a little while but I didn’t like it, the money was to slow working on the farm. I went into cutting and hauling pulp-wood, then I went into a mechanic shop. Back then they would have those old time frolics and we played every weekend. That is when it was a dime a set. They would pay the musicians a dime for every round of the cake-walk.

I make rye whiskey, you have got to put it up and let it sit. Rye makes the best whiskey if you are going to make something. I played in the juke joints, it was alright, I still play in the jukes today. I’m an old man now and music is all about that I can do.”