ALABAMA AND CHARLIE DANIELS AUG RETURN 30 YEARS LATER January 21, 2016 / by John "Stoney" Cannon Nearly twenty one years ago I pulled what then was a major coup when I scored tickets to take my then girlfriend to see the bands Alabama and the Charlie Daniels Band at what was back then called the Augusta Richmond Country Civic Center. Now in 1986 I was more about hair metal then about groups that I had once really dug 5-7 years earlier but I figured that at one time I really enjoyed music by both groups and going could only get me brownie points when it came to the girlfriend. So imagine the crazy memories that popped up when thirty years later I saw that the two groups were tag teaming the same venue (now called the James Brown Arena) as a stop on a tour in support of Alabama's new album "Southern Drawl." Now to be honest I felt compelled to check out tunes from the new album, mainly out of curiousity, and I have to say that I am not remotely interested in hearing them live. Now old faves like "Mountain Music", "Why Lady Why", "Love in the First Degree?"...sure, why not? Not to mention just about any old track from Charlie Daniels like "Still in Saigon", "Long Haired Country Boy", and yes, even "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." Now while this tour may be mainly about the boys from 'Bama, let's all not forget the regular love Charlie Daniels has shown to Augusta through not only regular visits, but also shows benefiting area charities. ALABAMA / CHARLIE DANIELS LIVE AT THE JAMES BROWN ARENA FRIDAY, JUNE 3RD, 2016 / 7PM JAMES BROWN ARENA