The country music world is in mourning this week after the death of the legendary singer Charley Pride, who died on Saturday due to complications from COVID-19. He was 86 years-old.
Pride’s rep confirmed his death to Entertainment Tonight, saying that the “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'” singer died in Dallas, Texas.
Pride rose to fame as the first black superstar of the country music world, and he went on to become the first Black member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. He scored his first top 10 hit on the country music charts in 1967 with “Just Between You and Me,” and in the next twenty years, he had 51 more top ten hits.
In 1971, Pride won the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year award. He also won its top male vocalist prize in 1971 and 1972, and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
“He was the right singer at the right time in history,” country music historian Bill C. Malone wrote of him, according to Variety. “Pride definitely profited from the heightened mood of racial tolerance promoted in the United States by the civil rights movement and from the desires of the country music industry to improve its image and broaden its audience.”
Pride is one of three African Americans to ever become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000. His final public performance came on November 11 at the CMA Awards in Nashville, where he sang “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” with Jimmie Allen after accepting the CMA Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Tributes have been pouring in for Pride since news of his death broke from various celebrities, including the iconic Dolly Parton.
“I’m so heartbroken that one of my dearest and oldest friends, Charley Pride, has passed away. It’s even worse to know that he passed away from COVID-19. What a horrible, horrible virus. Charley, we will always love you,” tweeted Parton, 74. “Rest In Peace. My love and thoughts go out to his family and all of his fans. – Dolly.”
Rest In Peace. My love and thoughts go out to his family and all of his fans. – Dolly (2/2)
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) December 12, 2020
Tributes have been coming in from other celebrities as well:
Saddened to hear the news that legendary Charley Pride has died. My heart breaks as 2020 gets worse. #RIP @opry family.
— Chris Janson (@janson_chris) December 12, 2020
RIP Mr. Pride and thank you for all you did in Country Music. You showed them. We do it all. And you were a great baseball player as well 🙏🏾#kissanangelgoodmorning #countrymusic #icon #charleypride https://t.co/QsOybSG6rO
— Yolonda Ross (@YolondaRoss) December 12, 2020
I had the honor of meeting Charley Pride several times over the years… absolutely gutted to hear of his passing #RIP
— ChrisYoungMusic (@ChrisYoungMusic) December 12, 2020
Instead of sending flowers, Pride’s family is asking fans to make a donation to The Pride Scholarship at Jesuit College Preparatory School, St. Philips School and Community Center, The Food Bank, or the charity of your choice.
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