Scene and Heard

Charlie Pride

Country Music Hall of Fame member, Charlie Pride performed at Horseshoe Casino Southern Indiana to a full house on Saturday. The 74 year old still has an excellent voice and overcame a brief sound problem at the start of his set to show he is still a viable entertainer. Pride moved effortlessly around the stage and joked about the location. as well as staring and checking his watch when two latecomers walked in during his third song. Pride covered his collection of hit songs during the show.

Since his signing with RCA records in 1965. His first two releases in 1966 did not chart.  Management did not release his photo for two years to avoid  the fact country music was considered a white medium. The success of “Just Between You and Me”  his third single ( #9 on the country charts) was enormous. He won a Grammy Award for the song the next year.In 1967, he became the first black performer to appear at the Grand Ole Opry since harmonica player DeFord Bailey. Bailey was a regular cast member of the Opry from 1925 through 1941, and made a final appearance in 1974.^[14] Pride also appeared in 1967 on the American Broadcasting Company’s “The Lawrence Welk Show”

Between 1969 and 1971, Pride had eight single records that simultaneously reached #1 on the US Country Hit Parade and also charted on the Billboard Hot 100: “All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)“, “(I’m So) Afraid of Losing You Again“, “I Can’t Believe That You’ve Stopped Loving Me“, “I’d Rather Love You“, “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone“, “Wonder Could I Live There Anymore?”, “I’m Just Me“, and “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’“. The pop success of these songs reflected the country/pop crossover sound that was reaching Country music in the 1960s and early 1970s, known as “Countrypolitan“. In 1969 his compilation album, The Best of Charley Pride sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

Pride sang the Paul Newman directed film Sometimes a Great Notion‘s main soundtrack song “All His Children” in 1970.The film starred Newman and Henry Fonda and received two Oscar nominations in 1972, one being for the song that Pride sang.

In 1971, he would release what would become his biggest hit “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'”, a million-selling crossover single that helped Pride land the Country Music Association’s prestigious Entertainer of the Year award, as well as Top Male Vocalist. He won CMA’s Top Male Vocalist award again in 1972.

“Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'” became Pride’s signature tune. Besides being a five-week country #1 in late 1971 and early 1972, the song was also his only pop Top 40 hit, hitting #21, and reaching the Top Ten of the Adult Contemporary charts as well.

During the rest of the 1970s and into the 1980s, Pride continued to rack up country music hits. Other Pride standards of the 1970s and 1980s include “Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town,” “Someone Loves You, Honey,” “When I Stop Leavin’ (I’ll Be Gone),” “Burgers and Fries“, “I Don’t Think She’s in Love Anymore“, “Roll On Mississippi”, “Never Been So Loved (In All My Life)” and “You’re So Good When You’re Bad.” Like many other country performers, he has paid tribute to Hank Williams, with an album of songs that were all written by Hank entitled There’s a Little Bit of Hank in Me, which included top-sellers of Williams’ classics “Kaw-Liga,” “Honky Tonk Blues” and “You Win Again“.

Pride has sold over 70 million records (singles, albums, compilation included).

He stayed with RCA Records until 1986. At that point, he grew angry over the fact that RCA began to promote newer country artists and didn’t renew contracts with many older artists who had been with the label for years.He moved on to 16th Avenue Records, where Pride bounced back with the #5 hit, “Shouldn’t it be Easier Than This.” He had a few minor hits with 16th Avenue, as well.

Pride’s lifelong passion for baseball continues; he has an annual tradition of joining the Texas Rangers for workouts during Spring Training. A big Rangers fan (Dallas has been his home for many years), Pride is often seen at their games.

In 2008, Pride received the Mississippi Arts Commission’s lifetime achievement award during the organization’s Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts.

On October 4, 2000, He was honored with the highest country music award, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Charley wept when his name was announced by Hall of Famer, Brenda Lee.

Charlie Pride

Charlie Pride