Charlie Daniels Family Revives Side Project with New Name and Big Plans

Nearly seven years after the launch of Beau Weevils — Songs in the Key of E, and five years after the passing of country music icon Charlie Daniels, Blue Hat Records is reviving the project with a rebrand and a new leadership team at the helm. The label officially announced this week that the project will now be known as Charlie Daniels & the Beau Weevils—a name change designed to make the music easier to discover and more clearly tied to the beloved Country Music Hall of Famer.

The Beau Weevils band began in 2018 as a passion project between Daniels and legendary producer James Stroud, who previously worked with the Charlie Daniels Band (CDB) in the late ’80s and early ’90s. The concept was raw and unfiltered—Southern swamp rock with an edge. With longtime CDB bass player Charlie Hayward and Billy Crain (brother of former CDB guitarist Tommy Crain) joining the lineup, Daniels carved out a space for music that lived between solo work and full-band efforts.

But without his name attached, the project had difficulty gaining traction on streaming platforms, and fans weren’t sure where to place the gritty, experimental album within Daniels’ broader discography. That confusion led the Daniels family to relaunch the music under a new name: Charlie Daniels & the Beau Weevils. New digital and streaming editions were released June 27 and feature a special bonus—a brief a cappella rendition of “The Boll Weevil Song” recorded by Daniels himself.

The rebrand comes as part of a larger transition within Blue Hat Records. David Corlew, longtime label president and Daniels’ manager and friend, has officially exited his role. Operations will now be headed by Daniels’ widow Hazel and son Charlie Daniels Jr., with day-to-day leadership shared by Daniels Jr. and Randy Owen. Bob Frank Distribution remains the label’s distribution partner, and Frank continues as a Blue Hat partner.

“Mom and I want to thank David for all he has done since being at the helm of Blue Hat Records since its inception,” Daniels Jr. said. “David enabled Dad to outstretch his creative wings, and we will always be grateful.”

Corlew echoed the sentiment, saying, “I believe we accomplished everything we wanted to do in our 30-plus years as partners. I wish the Daniels family much success as they move forward with a strong catalog of past works.”

Looking to the future, the Daniels family hinted at exciting plans for unreleased music from the vault. Daniels Jr. revealed there are numerous alternate takes, demos, and even unfinished tracks that his father laid down before his passing. In some cases, the family is open to using AI technology to respectfully complete those songs—so long as it feels organic and true to Daniels’ vision.

“What we’re not going to do is start churning out projects that feel uncomfortable or unnatural,” said Daniels Jr. “But completing his own unfinished songs, I think that’s a positive use of AI.”

Fans can now stream or download the rebranded album, Charlie Daniels & the Beau Weevils — Songs in the Key of E, which captures the signature Southern grit and gospel-tinged soul that made Daniels a genre-spanning legend.

As the Daniels family takes the reins of Blue Hat Records, their mission is clear: to honor Charlie Daniels’ legacy while continuing to share his music and message with new generations of fans.