Sunday Morning Country Classic Spotlight to Feature Charley Pride

Join me Sunday June 12^th, for the Sunday Morning Country Classic Spotlight featuring Charley Pride at 11 am.

Pride has become one of the most successful country singers ever. With his baritone voice he has garnered 39 number one hits on the country chart.

Pride had two passions -- baseball and music. At age 16, he left home to play professional baseball in the Negro American League. After two years with several minor league teams he joined the military serving two years. After his discharge he tried to go back to his love of baseball though hindered by an injury to his throwing arm, baseball just didn’t work out. Pride and his family moved to Montana. In 1962, Red Sovine and Red Foley discovered Pride in Helena and helped him get to Nashville, Tennessee. Some of his hit recordings include, “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’,” “The Easy Part’s Over,” “Kaw-Liga,” “Burgers and Fires” and many more.

Born in Mississippi in 1983, Pride is one of the few black country musicians to have enjoyed success in the mostly white country music industry. Pride was the second black musician to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. He went on to receive country music’s highest honor -- his October 4, 2003 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

We get started at 9 am with the Country Classic Show at 98.1 FM Minnesota’s New Country, online and on your mobile device.