After thirty-one years as a member of The Charlie Daniels Band, keyboard wizard Taz DiGregorio releases his debut solo album, Midnight in Savannah, and prepares to release his second, stressing the fact that he remains, and always will remain, a member of the CDB.

My biggest influence was Ray Charles, at the age of fourteen, in 1958 I hitchhiked 150 miles to see him. He had his original band with him. He had Fathead Newman, Hank Crawford, Margie Hendricks-and I think she has passed on. He had about sixteen people with him and I was the only white person in a sea of about 5,000 black people in 1958. He was at that time the hero of all black people. I can see why, it was like being in a church. I still draw from that one experience today. This was about a two- hour show and I was on the edge of the stage and soaked up the feeling and I still draw from that feeling. I can still see it in my mind today just like it was yesterday and it has been a long time.