2020 was an interesting time for everybody, but a challenging one for Charley Pride fans. We lost the icon due to health complications during the pandemic, a loss that was both unexpected and tragic. Now, after his death, the legend is releasing his final project, an album he recorded back in the '80s. Fans will get to hear Charley's voice one last time and be reminded of why he's so often referred to as a country music icon.
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The album, which will be released on September 19, is titled Endlessly: A Tribute to Brook Benton. The project will include 10 tracks and pays homage to Benton, an R&B crooner from the '50s and '60s. This wouldn't be the first time that Benton has received tributes, but it might be the first he's recieved posthumously. Glen Campbell released a rendition of Benton's, "Just A Matter of Time", and Randy Travis has a No. 1 from his version.
Pride also released a version of "Just A Matter of Time" back in 1992. However, he refrained from releasing the full-length album because of all the other tributes that were already out.
This project will showcase a side of Charley Pride that many of his fans aren't used to, with a fun blend of R&B, pop, and classic country.
The Life and Legacy of Charley Pride
Like many country stars today, Pride actually started out pursuing a career in sports before he was a country star. The singer first played baseball for the Memphis Red Sox and the Birmingham Black Barons in the '50s. Pride quickly gained a reputation amongst his teammates for performing on bus rides, and was inevitably noticed by RCA Records. The label released his music without a photo to see how it would perform, and Pride was a smashing success.
The country music icon went on to have 30 No. 1's on country radio and win numerous awards. In 1971, he won a CMA for Entertainer of the Year, and then the Male Vocalist award as well. Check out this performance of his song, "Ev'ry Heart Should Have One".
Pride broke racial barriers in a genre that was almost exclusively white at the time, and created an open pathway for other black country artists to do the same. His new record will honor those that came before him, and is a reminder of the collaborative spirit that is so encouraged in country music.
Photo by: Michael Putland/Getty Images
