Kiss An Angel Good Morning: Charley Pride 1934-2020
December 12, 2020 7:30 PM Subscribe
1971 Country Music Entertainer of the Year Charley Pride has died at age 86 from covid-19 complications.
Known for his rich baritone as well as for being the first black country music superstar, Charley Pride's music career took off with seven top 10 country radio hits in 1967-1968 and extended to his most recent public performance at last month's CMA Awards, where he was honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
While best known for his music career, Pride's first love was baseball. He was a two-time Negro Leagues All-Star in the 1950s, then played on US Army teams after he was drafted in 1956. Upon finishing his military service, Pride returned to minor league and semi-pro ball. In 1960, he and his family moved to Helena Montana, where he worked at a smelter and played semi-pro ball, attracting attention for his singing before games. In later years, he was a frequent participant in Texas Rangers spring training, and for the past 10 years was part of their ownership group.
Known for his rich baritone as well as for being the first black country music superstar, Charley Pride's music career took off with seven top 10 country radio hits in 1967-1968 and extended to his most recent public performance at last month's CMA Awards, where he was honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
While best known for his music career, Pride's first love was baseball. He was a two-time Negro Leagues All-Star in the 1950s, then played on US Army teams after he was drafted in 1956. Upon finishing his military service, Pride returned to minor league and semi-pro ball. In 1960, he and his family moved to Helena Montana, where he worked at a smelter and played semi-pro ball, attracting attention for his singing before games. In later years, he was a frequent participant in Texas Rangers spring training, and for the past 10 years was part of their ownership group.
I am an old millennial who grew up watching the Opry and always liked him. This is so sad.
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posted by mostly vowels at 7:49 PM on December 12, 2020 [2 favorites]
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posted by mostly vowels at 7:49 PM on December 12, 2020 [2 favorites]
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posted by robotmachine at 8:06 PM on December 12, 2020
posted by robotmachine at 8:06 PM on December 12, 2020
His was a constant presence in my grandmother’s house and a frequent one in my mother’s. A lot of his songs were featured in the soundtrack of my childhood. I hope he died knowing how much pleasure he brought to so many people.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:24 PM on December 12, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:24 PM on December 12, 2020 [3 favorites]
This is the music of my childhood, too.
Mitheral - Carole King is white.
posted by aniola at 8:29 PM on December 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
Mitheral - Carole King is white.
posted by aniola at 8:29 PM on December 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
"I can tell you don't know Charley Pride. Do you know him??"
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posted by Theophrastus Johnson at 8:34 PM on December 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
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posted by Theophrastus Johnson at 8:34 PM on December 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
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posted by Knowyournuts at 9:00 PM on December 12, 2020
posted by Knowyournuts at 9:00 PM on December 12, 2020
Flashback: Charley Pride Sings Hank Williams’ ‘Lovesick Blues’ on ‘Lawrence Welk’
posted by ActingTheGoat at 9:59 PM on December 12, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by ActingTheGoat at 9:59 PM on December 12, 2020 [5 favorites]
A few of these are recognizable. And I knew the name, but never knew he was black. A perfect country singer voice.
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posted by Windopaene at 10:10 PM on December 12, 2020
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posted by Windopaene at 10:10 PM on December 12, 2020
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posted by Joey Michaels at 10:44 PM on December 12, 2020
posted by Joey Michaels at 10:44 PM on December 12, 2020
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posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:59 PM on December 12, 2020
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:59 PM on December 12, 2020
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posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 12:23 AM on December 13, 2020
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 12:23 AM on December 13, 2020
Such a great voice. I love love love "Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone", such a great song -- he's walking down the road on s a cold, rainy, windy day, and he's just got to go no matter, and doesn't matter where he's going as long as he can get gone from the hurt of how it was with her. Which many another country song will tell you can't be run from anyways, but you gotta try of course, because you can't not.
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I've heard about the following but never chased it down until just now, how he was received at a show when no one knew he was a black man, as follows:
The success of "Just Between You and Me" was enormous. Pride was nominated for a Grammy Award for the song the next year. In the late summer of 1966, on the strength of his early releases, he was booked for his first large show, in Detroit's Olympia Stadium. Since no biographical information had been included with those singles, few of the 10,000 country fans who came to the show knew Pride was black, and only discovered the fact when he walked onto the stage, at which point the applause trickled off to silence. "I knew I'd have to get it over with sooner or later," Pride later remembered. "I told the audience: 'Friends, I realize it's a little unique, me coming out here—with a permanent suntan—to sing country and western to you. But that's the way it is.' "
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He was great in so many ways, such a fine man. Damn shame he's gone, but we were damn sure lucky to have been here to hear him sing.
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posted by dancestoblue at 2:46 AM on December 13, 2020 [15 favorites]
~~~~~
I've heard about the following but never chased it down until just now, how he was received at a show when no one knew he was a black man, as follows:
The success of "Just Between You and Me" was enormous. Pride was nominated for a Grammy Award for the song the next year. In the late summer of 1966, on the strength of his early releases, he was booked for his first large show, in Detroit's Olympia Stadium. Since no biographical information had been included with those singles, few of the 10,000 country fans who came to the show knew Pride was black, and only discovered the fact when he walked onto the stage, at which point the applause trickled off to silence. "I knew I'd have to get it over with sooner or later," Pride later remembered. "I told the audience: 'Friends, I realize it's a little unique, me coming out here—with a permanent suntan—to sing country and western to you. But that's the way it is.' "
~~~~~
He was great in so many ways, such a fine man. Damn shame he's gone, but we were damn sure lucky to have been here to hear him sing.
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posted by dancestoblue at 2:46 AM on December 13, 2020 [15 favorites]
My parents loved to watch Hee Haw back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, which mystified me because they didn’t like country music and a lot of popular music wasn’t allowed for me and my sister. It was only because they loved the humor stuff, and the one time my mom was happy with the music guest was Charley Pride. I was shocked when she actually bought one of his records.
Thanks for making her happy with your music, Mr. Pride. You were a great one.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 5:20 AM on December 13, 2020 [6 favorites]
Thanks for making her happy with your music, Mr. Pride. You were a great one.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 5:20 AM on December 13, 2020 [6 favorites]
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posted by fourpotatoes at 6:08 AM on December 13, 2020
posted by fourpotatoes at 6:08 AM on December 13, 2020
During the P2P/DMCA copy protection arms race of the late 90s-early 2000’s, one of the majors labels had put out a CD with copy protection, breaking orange book standard for the format. As I recall, they were compelled to omit the ubiquitous Compact Disk logo on the cover as a result. The record? Charlie Pride’s Tribute to Jim Reeves.
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posted by dr_dank at 8:11 AM on December 13, 2020
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posted by dr_dank at 8:11 AM on December 13, 2020
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posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 8:36 AM on December 13, 2020
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 8:36 AM on December 13, 2020
A great artist, and a real gentleman.
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:56 AM on December 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:56 AM on December 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace.
posted by ob1quixote at 1:55 PM on December 13, 2020
posted by ob1quixote at 1:55 PM on December 13, 2020
CMAs Address Rumors Charley Pride Caught Coronavirus At Last Month’s Controversial Ceremony
posted by jenfullmoon at 4:17 PM on December 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by jenfullmoon at 4:17 PM on December 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
"Following CDC guidelines" does not mean an activity is safe. You hear the same bullshit from restaurant owners that want to remain open. A testing regime, even with multiple tests, does not guarantee that an event will be COVID free. Charley Pride sang at the CMAs on November 11th and was admitted to the hospital in late November. Mr. Pride had made it 10 months into the pandemic without contracting the virus. We'll never know for sure where he contracted COVID but the timing and his singing at the CMA point to the Country Music Awards or possibly the travel around the event as a probable cause.
I did love his voice.
posted by rdr at 5:19 PM on December 13, 2020 [4 favorites]
I did love his voice.
posted by rdr at 5:19 PM on December 13, 2020 [4 favorites]
We have 16 Biggest Hits on CD and it's gotten a lot of play over the years. A couple favorites that haven't been listed in this thread yet:
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posted by jomato at 11:45 AM on December 14, 2020
posted by jomato at 11:45 AM on December 14, 2020
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posted by Maxwell's demon at 7:40 PM on December 12, 2020 [5 favorites]