Sunday Morning Country Classic Spotlight Features Charlie Pride

Charlie Pride, born March 18, 1938 in Sledge, Mississippi has worn many hats  in his life time.  Singer, former professional Baseball player and business and radio station owner.

At age sixteen, Charlie Pride left home to play professional baseball in the Negro league.  After two years with a team in Memphis and elsewhere he joined the Army for a two year stint.  He had tryouts with the California Angels in the early sixties, but by then he had injured his throwing arm.

In 1962, Red Sovine and Red Foley discovered Pride in Helena, Montana.  Eventually helped him come to Nashville.  Pride's first RCA recording session took place in August of 1965 and his first single, "The Snakes Crawl at Night," was released in January of 1966.

Between 1966 and 1989 he had twenty-nine number one country hits.  Some of his enduring classics included:  "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone," "Kiss an Angel Good Morning," and  "All I Have to Offer You is Me."  Pride is one of the few black country musicians to have had considerable success in the early Caucasian country music industry and the only black to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.  Pride became a special investor and minority owner of the Texas Rangers baseball club in 2010.

Join me Sunday morning March, 18th at 11:00 AM  on the Country Classic Music Spotlight for the life and music of Charlie Pride.  It's all part of the 98 Country Classic Show 9 AM to 1 PM on 98.1 FM 98 Country.