The night had been emotional already — a moment of silence for 9/11 victims, a somber flag-folding ceremony, an orchestral concert from the Air National Guard Band of the South.

Then Charlie Daniels took the stage, and a different kind of emotion followed.

Clad in his white bullrider hat, matching cowboy boots and oversized belt buckle, Daniels whisked out his fiddle and brandished his bow like a whip, breathing new life into Friday night’s Medal of Honor Convention concert, Knoxville Welcomes Our Nation’s Greatest Heroes.

The 77-year-old Daniels combined his deep appreciation for the military with his signature Tennessee bluegrass style, and the packed Tennessee Theatre crowd couldn’t get enough.

“When you think about musicians that have ties to the military as well as a passion for the military, numbers one, two and three on that list are Charlie Daniels,” said WBIR anchor John Becker, the emcee for the event.

Daniels took the audience of more than 50 Medal of Honor recipients, their guests and local admirers through classics like “What This World Needs (Is A Few More Rednecks)” and “Long Haired Country Boy,” all the while regaling attendees with stories that reflected his respect for the U.S. Military.

“We used to gather around the radio,” Daniels said about his childhood in Wilmington, North Carolina, during WWII. “A lot of ships were sunk off our coast by German U-boats. Some said you could see the fire of battle from our beaches. The war was very real to us.

“I learned very early in my life that only two things protect America: the grace of Almighty God and the United States military.”

While Daniels has often been recognized for his patriotic involvement, the National Guard Association of the United States chose Thursday’s concert to honor Daniels with the Patrick Henry Award for civilian support of the Armed Forces of the United States.

One of the most memorable parts of the night was Daniels’ acoustic version of the hymn “How Great Thou Art.” He brought the attendees to church, complete with an organ, soaring vocals from the congregation and a finish that had the crowd on its feet in raucous applause.

Daniels and his band continued with a performance perfectly targeted for its Knoxville audience, including a diss to Lane Kiffin during a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.”

Then, finally, the iconic opening fiddle to “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” filtered through the speakers. Daniels seemed to have an extra spout of energy as he made the fiddle sing its closing number.

Earlier in the show, Daniels reminded everyone that the reason he was here was more than just to entertain the 1600 or so people at the Tennessee Theatre — it was to offer gratitude for an “unpayable debt.”

“I want to tell you something folks, and I mean this from my heart of hearts,” Daniels said. “Whether you find them on a base in this country or some hell hole in Iraq — they’re the best we’ve got.”