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Charley Pride, country music icon, dies aged 86 after Covid-19 battle

Updated / Tuesday, 29 Dec 2020 21:09
Charley Pride onstage in London in November 2012
Charley Pride onstage in London in November 2012

The death has been announced of Charley Pride, the pioneering African-American country singer. Pride, who was 86, died from Covid-19-related complications in Dallas, Texas, according to his publicist.

Mississippi-born Pride found country music fame after his service in the US military and years as a professional baseball player. Among his many hits were the country classics Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone? and Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'.

He recorded over 40 studio albums, with his most-recent album, Music in My Heart, released in 2017. During his career, he achieved 29 Number One songs on the Billboard Country charts in the US.

Pride built a huge Irish fanbase over the years and was one of the few performers to regularly visit the North during the Troubles.

In 2017, he was part of the Late Late Show Country Music Special.

On the show, longtime fan Daniel O'Donnell described Pride as "country music royalty". 

"It's not just in Ireland that he's loved," the Donegal singer continued, "it's everywhere that he ever has gone and places that he hasn't even been they love him."

Charley Pride performing at last month's (11 November) Country Music Association (CMA) Awards in Nashville, Tennessee

"I think it's important for us to acknowledge here that at the height of the Troubles, Charley, when he was asked to come, he was the only entertainer that came to the north of Ireland and put on a show. That meant so much to the people in the North, because it was easy to be forgotten at that time."  

The trailblazing singer was a multi-Grammy winner and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000. 

Last month, Pride received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Country Music Association in the US. 

In his last performance, he sang Kiss an Angel Good Mornin' with Jimmie Allen on the awards show.

Pride is survived by his wife of 64 years, Rozene, their three children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Here are some of the many tributes to Charley Pride:

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