In a magnanimous gesture that stunned and warmed the hearts of fans, country music legend Charlie Daniels was joined onstage last night by rising star Chris Stapleton to announce that they would be donating their beards to “less fortunate country performers”.
Left to right: Country performers Charlie Daniels, Chris Stapleton, and Clint Black
“We remember what it was like once, not having any facial hair and feeling like less of a country artist” Daniels told a roaring crowd at Nissan Stadium during a CMA Fest 2016 performance Thursday night. “It’s a crime to see country singers, ranging from young to elderly, just trying to get by out there without a beard to call their own. Those of us who’ve been blessed with a bountiful wealth of scruff have a responsibility to give back to those singers who otherwise might never get the opportunity to have any at all. We want to make sure that any country artist can experience the pride and joyful feeling of performing a woeful western ballad while looking like Rip Van Winkle.” Daniels announced that the first benefactor from their donations would be veteran performer Clint Black, because “that poor guy’s had to suffer through his entire career doin’ without”; however, Daniels did add that up-and-coming artists would benefit from their efforts as well. “We want to make sure that people like Scotty McCreery and those Rascal Flatts guys get to someday know what if feels like to really be a country singer.”
Stapleton chimed in to tell the crowd that they would be joined in their philanthropic efforts by William Lee Golden of The Oak Ridge Boys, Hank Williams Jr., members of ZZ Top, and TV personality Charlie Chase who, according to Stapleton, “can regrow that mustache of his in under 10 minutes, when he concentrates on it.” At press time, several performers not expressly named by Daniels and Stapleton had begun announcing their intention to apply for beard donations, including Mark Chesnutt, members of The Band Perry, and Martina McBride.
In other CMA news, Kenny Foster was named winner of the Kid Rock look-alike competition for the third year running, and alternative-rock act Sister Hazel confirmed that they still aren’t sure why they are appearing at CMA Fest.
Left: Country artist Kenny Foster. Right: Rock band Sister Hazel.
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Charlie Daniels photo found at https://fanart.tv/artist/35885131-9d16-40cb-9289-e18997a8b77c/daniels-charlie-band-the/. Chris Stapleton photo found at http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/chris-stapleton-things-cma-award-winner/story?id=34981813. Clint Black photo found at http://www.opry.com/artist/clint-black. Kenny Foster photo found at http://www.cmaworld.com/cma-music-festival/whos-playing/?al1_page=performer&al1_parentHost=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cmaworld.com&al1_filterCategory=6&al1_performer_id=76567. Sister Hazel photo found at http://www.wmeclients.com/music/pacs/SISTER-HAZEL.
The Rhinestone 