Charley Pride

Charley Frank Pride (born March 18, 1938 in Sledge, Mississippi) is a former Negro League baseball player who became one of the only African Americans to have a successful career in modern country music.

Chronology

• May 1, 1993: Pride accepted an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry, in the process becoming the first African-American honoree in its more than 70-year history.
• 1994: Pride released his autobiography, Pride: The Charley Pride Story (published by William Morrow).
• June 1994: Pride was honored by the Academy of Country Music with its prestigious Pioneer Award.
• January 1996: Pride was honored with a Trumpet Award by Turner Broadcasting, marking outstanding African-American Achievement. His "Roll On Mississippi" was considered as the official song of his home state, a stretch of Mississippi highway was named for him, and he headlined a special Christmas performance for President and Mrs. Clinton at the White House.
• July 1999: Pride received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• October 4, 2000, Charley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. His name was announced by Brenda Lee.
• 2003: Pride's album Comfort of Her Wings is released on Music City Records.