Charley Pride

Born Charley Frank Pride on March 18, 1934, in Sledge, Mississippi, Charley Pride grew up as one of 11 children on a sharecropping farm. Before pursuing music, he played professional baseball, pitching in the Negro American League and several minor league teams during the 1950s.

After his baseball career ended, Pride focused on music and moved to Nashville. RCA Records signed him in 1965, and despite concerns about racial prejudice in country music, his extraordinary voice quickly won over audiences. His breakthrough came with "Just Between You and Me," followed by a remarkable run of chart-topping hits.

Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, Pride became one of country music's biggest stars with classics including "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'," "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone," "Mountain of Love," and "Burgers and Fries." He recorded more than 50 Top 10 country hits and became RCA's best-selling country artist since Elvis Presley.

Pride received countless honors during his career, including induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000 and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. He remained an active performer until his passing on December 12, 2020, leaving behind a legacy as one of country music's greatest voices and most influential pioneers.