RIP Charley Pride
Charley Pride (who passed away at 86 from COVID complications) was not the first Black country musician, but he made his mark with superlative singing and effortless grace. Like all great artists, he made it seem easy, but you know it wasn’t.
The primary resistance against Black country musicians in the 1960’s came not from other musicians (who had long acknowledged their debt to African-American music) nor from the listening public, but from the conservative forces in the music industry (“Music Row”), who thought that country audiences weren’t ready for a Black singer. In an era that promoted bland “Countrypolitan,” Charley Pride’s soulful, spirited ballads led to dozens of hit albums and armfuls of awards.
Here’s a Charley Pride performance from the 2020 Country Music Awards of his signature song (some have suggested that this is where Pride became infected with the coronavirus). He’s joined by Jimmie Allen (one of several recent Black country singers to achieve mainstream popularity). Allen’s singing is decent, but Pride (Allen’s senior by 52 years) blows the youngster out of the water.
Although Charley Pride’s status as the first major Black country music artist is indeed a significant historical milestone, his timeless vocal performances will keep him forever in the hearts of anyone who loves good music.
