Charley Pride was a country music legend and the first Black man to ever be inducted into Country Music’s “Hall of Fame.” His story was full of character and saturated with racial under and overtones that Black people in America face. Pride was a Mississippi native born in 1934 and was the son of a “sharecropper” according to NBC. He was also an ex army veteran who made an attempt at professional baseball before launching into music. Despite having to release his first single physically anonymous in order to hide his racial identity Pride’s talent proved superior to any prejudices and would catapult him to country music stardom. The legendary “Just Between You and Me” singer garnered 3 Grammy wins, 52 Top Ten hits and more than 25 million records sold thus far. Pride once stated that “no one ever told me that whites were supposed to sing one kind of music and blacks another, I sang what I liked in the voice I had.” Several entertainers gave their condolences at the news of his passing including Darius Rucker who stated “He destroyed barriers and did things no one had ever done. But today I’m thinking of my friend. Heaven just got one of the finest people.” Pride expired due to Covid-19 complications at the age of 86 and is survived by his wife Rozene of 64 years, three children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
BY: BEWITTY Staff
Published by