I wouldn't trade places with anybody in the world.

I love what I do.

I love being Charlie Daniels, for good, bad, or indifferent.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Charlie Daniels was just 14 years

old when he picked up his first fiddle, and only 17

when he formed his first band, the Bluegrass Misty Mountain

Boys.

Now over 60 years and 40 albums later,

the country music legend is stepping into a new chapter.

80 years of life, Charlie Daniels?

Are you putting me on?

28th of October.

80 years.

80 years old.

Wow.

I don't know where the time went.

I sure have enjoyed it.

[LAUGHTER]

REPORTER: Throughout his career, Charlie

has garnered quite a collection of memories,

from instruments and hats to Polaroids and awards.

His greatest achievement yet came this year

when he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Still, none of that compares to his long time gig

with his number one fan.

You and Hazel have been married how long?

52 years this coming month.

And you have one son?

CHARLIE DANIELS: One son, he's 51 years old.

REPORTER: Wow, and you're saying that publicly.

CHARLIE DANIELS: Yes.

Absolutely.

REPORTER: I mean, all those years,

do you remember when you were 51?

Oh, yeah, I do.

How have you kept the marriage thing together and raise a son

with all the other activities you were

involved in as a performer?

You marry somebody you love that you

feel like you want to spend the rest of your life

with, that you're excited to wake up with every morning

and enjoy spending the day with.

Right now my wife is my best friend.

By far my best friend.

I'd rather spend time with her than anybody in the world.

Ladies and gentleman, Charlie Daniels and the Charlie Daniels

Band!

[MUSIC PLAYING]

REPORTER: Besides performing over 100 concerts this year,

Charlie is also working on his autobiography,

and just celebrated the release of his latest album, Night

Hawk.

And as his list of accomplishments

continues to grow, one thing remains constant, his faith.

You know, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If I can't take him with me, I don't want to go.

I mean, that's the only way I can think of to say it.

I don't want to go anywhere where Jesus can't go.

I don't want to be without him.

I don't want to be without God's blessings.

If it's inconvenient, then it's just inconvenient.

If somebody don't like, then somebody just don't like it.

That it part of me.

That is who I am.

I don't know how politically correct that is, Charlie.

I couldn't care less about politically correct.

REPORTER: You are a man of some strong opinions.

I am.

REPORTER: So let's try to get in trouble.

How do we change the direction that this country is moving in,

then?

I don't know.

How long can we go around and take the crosses down off

of places?

How long can we try to take God's name out everything?

How long can we try to suppress anything

to do with Christianity?

How long is God going to let us do that?

I don't know.

I don't know if there's an answer to this thing or not.

People say, well, we're all just going

to die and go to heaven anyway, or Jesus is going

to come back or something.

I don't think that God wants us just to lay down and die, just

because that's going to happen.

I think we should keep trying.

I think we should keep voting.

I think we should keep supporting things

that we believe in.

I don't think we out to just quit.

REPORTER: In 2014, Charlie took his passion for the military

and co-founded the Journey Home Project,

a nonprofit organization that assists

troops who are returning home.

CHARLIE DANIELS: Quite a traumatic thing

for a lot of our veterans to come back.

You're in a war zone, you're dodging IEDs and bullets

one day, and a couple days later, you're back in society

again with a bunch of people that have no idea what

you've been through.

Minus some limbs, and--

CHARLIE DANIELS: Yes.

---mental condition and everything else,

Many times, many times.

We owe these people, Scott.

We owe them an unpayable debt of gratitude.

I've been with them.

I've been to Iraq three times, I've been to Afghanistan.

And I want to tell you something.

These kids, they're the best we've got.

They're the best Americans, they're

the most loyal Americans we've got.

And we owe them when they come back.

REPORTER: After a lifetime on the road,

Charlie has been everywhere and seen everything.

And he says he has no intention of slowing down now.

Is there any possible retirement for Charlie Daniel?

That word is not in my vocabulary right now.

Mine either.

CHARLIE DANIELS: Seriously.

You know, I just can't imagine not having something to do.

REPORTER: Right.

I can't imagine having a reason to get out of bed every day.

I hear people talking, boy, I hate to go to work.

I love to go to work.

I can't wait to get off the bus and go onstage entertain

people.

That's my thing.

That's what I love.

I love doing it.

I thank God I can make a living doing it.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[CHEERING]