Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Charley Pride Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from MAC

by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

The son of a Sledge sharecropper, Charley Pride first won notice as a singer when music was just a sideline to his early baseball career. Taking a shot at what seemed an unlikely career in Nashville, he went on to record fifty-two Top Ten singles, twenty-eight of them No. 1 hits. Singing honky tonk songs in his remarkable baritone, Charley Pride became a country music legend. More than that, he became the most successful African-American artist of the genre.

Charley Pride | Photo Credits: si.com

Charley Pride: The Pride of Country

Born on March 18, 1938, in Sledge, Charley Frank Pride was one of eleven children. He is the outgoing son of poor and sharecropper parents. Pride family entertainment focused on the radio—dramas, baseball broadcasts, and his father Mack’sfavorite, the Grand Ole Opry. Young Charley would sing along with Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb, and Hank Williams.

At age 14, he got his first guitar. It was baseball, though, that he would first pursue as a career. He was a pitcher and outfielder with the Memphis Red Sox of the Negro American League. Also, he had try-outs with the New York Mets and California Angels and stands with minor league clubs in Montana.

He’d been singing country for teammates on bus trips. And in Helena, Montana, he began appearing in clubs. A local disc jockey arranged for him to audition for Red Foley and Red Sovine as they passed through. They recommended him for a publishing contract and recording audition in Nashville.

Pride’s Colorful Career

Pride quickly found a manager in Jack Johnson. But, it would take more than a year, into 1966, for a recording contract to follow. Meanwhile, early string bands, blues, and R&B singers had occasionally performed country songs, and DeFord Bailey had been a harmonica star of the early Opry. However, there was no precedent for an African-American singer achieving country music stardom.

Charley Pride possessed a rich, distinctive, unquestionably country baritone, and brought extraordinary clarity and affecting simplicity to the traditional honky tonk country he favored. The country audience would prove very accepting of that talent.

When “Cowboy” Jack Clement, who’d produced Johnny Cash and Jerry LeeLewis at Sun Records, recorded a few songs with Charley, RCA Victor agreed to give the idea a try. Pride was a successful recording artist from the release of his first single “The Snakes Crawl at Night.” And by the third, “Just Between You and Me,” he reached the Top Ten.


Charley Pride | Photo Credits: charleypride.com

Pride’s Legacy

Mostly all of Charley Pride’s 50 singles between 1966 and 1984 would be Top Ten hits, 28 of the Number Ones, including the million-selling “Kiss an Angel Good Morning,” and such soon-to-be country standards as “All I Have to Offer You Is Me,” “Is Anybody Going to San Antone?,” “Crystal Chandelier,” and “Someone Loves You, Honey.”

A massively successful live act across multiple continents well into the 21st Century, Pride was voted the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year in 1971, the top male vocalist of 1971 and 1972, and became a regular cast member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1993. His memoir, “Pride: The Charley Pride Story,” was published in 1994. In 2000, Charley Pride, already a legend, was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. On January 10, 2008, he was presented with a lifetime achievement award by the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC).

Latest Stories

Country Top 30 Week of September 28, 2024

Country Top 30

Country Chart – Week of October 5, 2024 This week, country music’s Top 30 chart is a thrilling mix of powerhouse veterans, genre-blurring collaborations, and rising stars making their mark. ...

Is Jelly Roll's "Lonely Road" with MGK a Modern Echo of John Denver's Classics?

Is Jelly Roll’s “Lonely Road” with MGK a Modern Echo of John Denver’s Classics?

Fans were buzzing when Jelly Roll and Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) dropped their new single, “Lonely Road.” The song clearly nods to John Denver’s iconic “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” ...

The Story Behind Alabama's Emotional Gospel Classic "Angels Among Us"

The Story Behind Alabama’s Emotional Gospel Classic “Angels Among Us”

Don Goodman and Becky Hobbs penned Alabama’s “Angels Among Us,” which has become one of the band’s most beloved songs. Released in 1993 as part of their Cheap Seats album, ...

LeAnn Rimes Stuns Audiences with Her Beautiful Patsy Cline Medley

LeAnn Rimes Stuns Audiences with Her Beautiful Patsy Cline Medley

Patsy Cline is one of the most legendary figures in country music, known for her timeless sound and unforgettable voice. Her influence on country music is undeniable, and her legacy ...

Jonathan Jackson’s Soulful Rendition of “Unchained Melody” Will Give You Chills

Jonathan Jackson’s Soulful Rendition of “Unchained Melody” Will Give You Chills

Jonathan Jackson took the stage at the Grand Ole Opry in 2015. He delivered a breathtaking rendition of “Unchained Melody,” leaving the audience in awe. The actor and musician, best ...

Chris LeDoux’s Iconic Song “This Cowboy’s Hat” Gets First-Ever Music Video After 33 Years

Chris LeDoux’s Iconic Song “This Cowboy’s Hat” Gets First-Ever Music Video After 33 Years

More than three decades after the release of Chris LeDoux’s iconic song “This Cowboy’s Hat,” fans were treated to a long-awaited music video. The video was released just weeks after ...

LeAnn Rimes Sings “The Greatest Man I Never Knew,” Bringing Reba McEntire to Tears

LeAnn Rimes Sings “The Greatest Man I Never Knew,” Bringing Reba McEntire to Tears

In 2006, LeAnn Rimes delivered an unforgettable performance of Reba McEntire’s 1992 hit “The Greatest Man I Never Knew” during a tribute special for McEntire. The then-24-year-old Texas native took ...

Dolly Parton Joins Rory Feek for “One Angel” in Moving Tribute to Joey Feek

Dolly Parton Joins Rory Feek for “One Angel” in Moving Tribute to Joey Feek

In 2016, the country music world mourned the loss of Joey Feek, who passed away after a brave battle with cervical cancer. The loss was deeply personal for her husband ...

Garth Brooks Sued for Sexual Assault and Battery by Former Makeup Artist

Garth Brooks Sued for Sexual Assault and Battery by Former Makeup Artist

Country music star Garth Brooks is facing a lawsuit from a former hair-and-makeup artist, identified as “Jane Roe,” who accuses him of sexual assault and battery. The complaint, filed in ...

Nine-Year-Old Girl Sings “He Stopped Loving Her Today” Live, Leaves Audience Speechless

Nine-Year-Old Girl Sings “He Stopped Loving Her Today” Live, Leaves Audience Speechless

When nine-year-old Anna Faith Howell took the stage to sing George Jones’ iconic “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” the crowd was instantly captivated. Despite her age, Anna delivered the song ...

Leave a Comment

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.