Alan Jackson Honors One of His ‘Heroes,’ Charley Pride, with ‘CMT Giants’ Performance

Alan Jackson reflected on the late Charley Pride and his lasting legacy with an appearance on the star-studded CMT Giants:…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

August 25, 2021

9:02 pm

Alan Jackson; Photo Courtesy of John Shearer/Getty Images for CMT

Alan Jackson reflected on the late Charley Pride and his lasting legacy with an appearance on the star-studded CMT Giants: Charley Pride special.

Jackson praised Pride as “one of the nicest, most genuine artists” that he’s ever met.

“I loved Charley Pride. He was one of my heroes,” Jackson gushed. “He was one of the sweetest and most sincere guys that made me feel so welcomed into country music back in my young days and I’m so proud to do this song for him tonight.”

He went on to perform Pride’s 1979 hit, “Where Do I Put Her Memory.” The song was written by Jim Weatherly and went on to become Pride’s 21st No.1 single. It appears on his album, Burgers and Fries/When I Stop Leaving (I’ll Be Gone).

“He loved real country music and songs that said things he wanted to say and reminded him of where he came from,” Jackson added of Pride.

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Charley Pride passed away on December 12, 2020. He celebrated over 50 years as a recording artist and had a lasting impact on the the music community. Pride was a member of the Grand Ole Opry, a three-time GRAMMY winner, Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, a CMA and ACM award winner and a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. He earned 36 No.1 singles throughout his career.

CMT Giants: Charley Pride also featured performances from Darius Rucker, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Gladys Knight, Jimmie Allen, Lee Ann Womack, Luke Combs, Mickey Guyton, Wynonna Judd and Pride’s son Dion.

In addition to performances the show included interviews from family, friends and collaborators, including Neal McCoy, Nolan Ryan, Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap and Pride’s wife Rozene, who shared their personal memories while reflecting on Pride’s lasting legacy. The special also showcased rare archival photos, interviews and clips with commentary from the late Charley Pride.

The CMT special brought together Pride’s superstar friends and some of the biggest names in country music to celebrate his catalog of legendary hit songs.

CMT Giants: Charley Pride will air again for an encore performance on Sunday, August 29 at 12/11c on CMT.

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.