Charlie Daniels Band keyboardist dies in crash

NASHVILLE, Tennessee?? Country star Charlie Daniels says his longtime keyboardist and co-writer of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" had his own musical personality.

Joel "Taz" DiGregorio, 67, was killed Wednesday night in a single-car accident on Interstate 40 west of Nashville while en route to Georgia for a Charlie Daniels Band concert that has since been canceled. He was alone when his car flipped going around a curve, Daniels said.

Story: Sugarland will return to scene of deadly concert

"He was an intricate part of our sound for 40 years," Daniels said Thursday in a telephone interview. "If you listened to our records, you could hear Taz all over them. He had a riff in 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' which was his idea."

Wearing an ever-present cowboy hat and always to Daniels' right on stage, DiGregorio was a fixture of the band's rocking persona.

1. More Entertainment stories
   1. Hope Solo: Maks is the 'girliest man' I've met

      Say what?!? Last week on the CW's "H8R," a woman said "Dancing With the Stars" pro Maks Chmerkovskiy was arrogant and a d*#@. But now, his very own celeb partner is dissing him!

   2. Ballroom boo-boos on 'Dancing'? Bring it on!
   3. Reader: Americans are violent prudes
   4. 'The Thing' isn't as chilling as 1982 version
   5. Kim Kardashian dons burqa in Dubai

"He just fit in with our music for 40 years. It won't be easy without him," Daniels said.

Story: Ex-Weezer bassist tweeted about his death 2 weeks ago

Daniels said he will resume performing next Friday and Saturday in Oklahoma with just five members.

"I won't replace him now," Daniels said. "I can't come to grips with replacing him right now, but I will."

DiGregorio is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters. Funeral arrangements were incomplete.

How will you remember him? Share on Facebook.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44901309/ns/today-entertainment/

irs lucy mississippi state football mississippi state football syracuse craigs list nlp