Charley Pride Celebrates 40 Years In Music

Charley Pride photo courtesy of charleypride.com

August 22, 2006--The BBC News reports that country legend Charley Pride is to release a new album as he celebrates 40 years in the music industry. The album, Pride & Joy, features duets with friends Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson and is due for release in the fall. Charlie, 67, has had more than 36 No. 1 country singles, including "Kiss An Angel Good Morning" and "Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone?" and has sold over 70 million records around the world during his career.

Charley attributes his success to his to his voice and his lyrics. "I just try to tell people I'm in the business of selling lyrics and feelings and emotions," he says. Charley's father, a poor sharecropper in Sledge, Mississippi, used to listen to country music on the family's radio. "I just started emulating all the songs people were singing at the time," says Charley.

After failing to make it as a professional baseball player, Charley decided to dedicate himself to making a career in country. Despite trying to break through during the turbulent times of the civil rights movement, he says it was his voice that broke down barriers. "I understood that I wasn't supposed to be singing the music because of segregation, but once people heard my singing they said they didn't care if I was green."