The seller of millions of records over his long career, Charley Pride was the first black performer to become a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. But that was only one of many honors the octogenarian received over his half-century long musical career. He died recently at age 86 due to complications from contracting COVID-19.
According to his website he was born a sharecropper’s son in Mississippi, bought his first guitar with money earned picking cotton, and became the first black man to become a major star in a genre where virtually all of the other performers are white. The only other black singer to attract much of an audience among C & W fans was preacher/singer Solomon Burke, and later Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish. There also are some young black performers of more recent vintage who work in this genre.
During Pride’s rise to prominence in the 1960s and ’70s he recorded dozens of songs that topped the country music charts, including “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'” and “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone.” He had at least 30 No. 1 hits and the Country Music Association named him “Entertainer of the Year” in 1971. Boy, I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall at the meeting where that decision was made.
Pride’s rise to prominence and staying power is a testament not only to his musical ability, but to the ability of some whites — those who would never have a black person over to dinner and certainly would never in a million years visit the domicile of a person of color — to compartmentalize their racial animus when they are being entertained.
Black urban legend at one time stated that O.J. was the recipient of the first “White Pass” — that mythical document issued by white culture bestowing acceptance into whiteness of blacks whose talents transcended race, thereby making them acceptable in the white world as long as they are singing, dancing or doing something magical with a ball — any kind of ball. But that’s not quite accurate. Pride was actually the first black American so honored — if indeed it was (or is) an honor.
Of course O.J.s pass was later revoked, but others, such as Michael, Magic, and more recently, LeBron, have also received their passes, no matter if they wanted one or not. The amazing thing is, racist whites often think ownership of such a white pass is something blacks desire; most don’t. For the most part, we really, really do love being black. Sadly, there are a few exceptions.
This “white pass” phenomenon speaks volumes in regards to an interesting cultural/racial dynamic in this country: Rabid rednecks will set aside their hatred of blacks if they are being sufficiently entertained and dazzled by a person of color. It’s been proven over and over again in America. This “compartmentalization of bigotry” if you will, this ability of whites to turn it on and off with the flick of a switch — or the dunk of a basketball — proves the shallowness of their beliefs.
Me, on the other hand, I wouldn’t give a good goddamn if David Duke — or someone of his ilk — could fart the St. Louis Blues in C-minor, unaccompanied, I’m still not altering my opinion of him or what it is he stands for.
Charley Pride, who no doubt faced down an amazing level of bigotry during his stellar career with dignity, grace, and as his name states, “pride,” accomplished much more than even could have been imagined. His success proved that the racial hatred harbored by ignorant whites is transitory, malleable — and is something maybe their children (or perhaps grandchildren) can outgrow over time.
For the good of the nation, we can only hope and pray. Thanks, Charley.
From CoolCleveland correspondent Mansfield B. Frazier mansfieldfATgmail.com. Frazier’s From Behind The Wall: Commentary on Crime, Punishment, Race and the Underclass by a Prison Inmate is available in hardback. Snag your copy and have it signed by the author at http://NeighborhoodSolutionsIn
One Response to “MANSFIELD: The Legacy of Charley Pride”
Peter Lawson Jones
4 for 4. You had a great day at the plate, my friend.