Grand Ole Opry Member Spotlight: Charley Pride

Grand Ole Opry Country Music Show - Nashville

Dierks Bentley - The Opry's Youngest Member

A true country legend who overcame great obstacles to fulfill his dreams, Charley Pride became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1993. With a beautiful baritone voice that rises above the struggles he has faced, Charley takes the Opry stage as a man adored by countless fans around the globe.

Background and Early Career

• One of eleven children born to Mississippi sharecroppers, Charley taught himself to play guitar at age 14. His music career began unofficially in the late 1950s while he played baseball for the Negro American League's Memphis Red Sox. He eventually landed in Nashville and found almost immediate success; a record contract and a hit song were his within a matter of months.
• During an appearance in Detroit, the audience sounded thunderous applause until Charley took the stage and they realized he was African American. The applause went silent. He didn't let that stop him, and has since released over 50 singles, the majority of which have hit the Top 10 on the charts.

Grand Ole Opry Induction

• 26 years after he played there as a guest, Charley Pride became a member of the Grand Ole Opry on May 1, 1993. He remembers the event this way: "It's as if I had made it in baseball and they came up to me and took me to Cooperstown and said, 'This is where your plaque is going to be—beside Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron ...'"

Charley Pride at the Opry

• Want to know when you can see the one and only African American country superstar on the Opry stage? Visit the VME Grand Ole Opry Blog for a schedule of upcoming performances.

Notable Hits You Might Hear at the Grand Ole Opry

• "The Snakes Crawl At Night"
• "All I Have To Offer You (Is Me)"
• "Kiss An Angel Good Morning"
• "Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone?"
• "I'm So Afraid of Losing You Again"
• "Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town"
• "Someone Loves You Honey"
• "When I Stop Leaving I'll Be Gone"
• "Burgers and Fries"
• "You're So Good When You're Bad

More Details

• Charley met the love of his life, Rozene, during his baseball days. Together they have three children and have celebrated fifty years of marriage. They currently reside in Dallas.
• In 2000, Charley Pride was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He also has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• See the complete list of current Grand Ole Opry members!