Charley Pride

Charley Pride was a trailblazing country music artist known for his smooth baritone voice, chart-topping hits, and groundbreaking role as the genre’s first Black superstar. Born March 18, 1934, in Sledge, Mississippi, he grew up working on cotton farms and initially pursued a career in baseball before turning to music in the early 1960s.

Pride signed with RCA Records in 1965 and made history with his first hit single, “Just Between You and Me,” in 1966. Over the next two decades, he released more than 30 No. 1 country hits, including “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’,” and “All I Have to Offer You (Is Me).” He was one of RCA’s best-selling artists, second only to Elvis Presley.

A member of the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame, Pride became the first Black artist to win the CMA Entertainer of the Year award in 1971. He also earned three Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the genre.

Pride continued recording and performing into his 80s and made his final appearance at the CMA Awards in 2020. He passed away later that year, but his legacy lives on as one of country music’s most influential and respected voices.