Country music trailblazer Charley Pride died Saturday at the age of 86 of complications of COVID-19. News of Pride s death was first announced through the singer’s website.
Known for breaking systemic racial barriers in the country music industry, Pride became a celebrated name in a predominantly white genre. Hits such as “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” and “Just Between You and Me” helped propel the North Texas resident to numerous Grammys and other highly regarded country music awards.
Pride was born on March 18, 1934, in Sledge, Mississippi. He started a family in Montana, but made Texas his eventual home. Outside of music, Pride was a predominant figure in Major League Baseball as a one-time part-owner of the Texas Rangers and as a frequent performer of the National Anthem at the team’s home games. An avid baseball fan, Pride played in the Negro American League, pursuing a career in baseball in his youth.