MERIDIAN, MI — Country Music Hall of Fame member and Mississippi native Charley Pride, was honored with another industry accolade recently, celebrating his legendary career as a pioneering Country musician. Pride was inducted into the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience Hall of Fame class of 2018, on August 25th in Meridian, Mississippi, along with four other recipients; singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, Photographer William Eggleston, Writer and editor Willie Morris, and Blues musician Howlin’ Wolf. Pride also received a ‘Walk of Fame’ star as part of the ceremony.
“I’m very humbled to be part of this Hall of Fame class along with these other accomplished Mississippians,” said Pride. “This honor means a lot to me because it comes from my home state. I am so proud to be from Mississippi!”
Charley Pride was born in Sledge, Mississippi to a sharecropping family, and was raised from humble roots on a farm. Pride’s love of country music was fostered by Grand Ole Opry broadcasts on WSM radio. He saved money for almost a year to purchase his first guitar at age 14 – a Silvertone model from Sears & Roebuck.
In 1966, Pride was signed by Chet Atkins to RCA Records, where his gritty, Southern-accented baritone voice made him a superstar. Pride has received three Grammys, three Country Music Association awards, an Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award, Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry inductions and a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.
His 52 top-10 hits include “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” “Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town,” “Burgers and Fries,” “Roll On Mississippi” and others.
The eighteen other Mississippi artists inducted into the Hall are: painter Walter Inglis Anderson, writer William Faulkner, actor Morgan Freeman, writer John Grisham, puppeteer Jim Henson, bluesman Robert Johnson, actor James Earl Jones, bluesman B.B.King, potter George Ohr, entertainer Elvis Presley, opera singer Leontyne Price, musician Jimmie Rodgers, bluesman Muddy Waters, actor Sela Ward, writer Eudora Welty, playwright Tennessee Williams, Entertainer Oprah Winfrey, and writer Richard Wright.
