Darius Rucker Compares Kane Brown To Charley Pride In Heartfelt Time 100 Profile
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Kane Brown was named to the 2021 TIME 100, TIME’s annual list of…
Darius Rucker; Photo by Ford Fairchild, Kane Brown; Photo by Alex Alvga, Charley Pride; Photo by Ford Fairchild
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Kane Brown was named to the 2021 TIME 100, TIME’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
The list is selected by TIME’s editors and for the 18th year, the TIME 100 recognizes the impact, innovation and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals.
In honor of Brown’s inclusion on the list, fellow country superstar Darius Rucker penned a heartfelt essay praising Brown and the impact he’s had on country music.
“Kane Brown has that unquantifiable ‘it’ factor,” Rucker’s message began.
He went on to praise Brown for never taking himself too seriously and applaud his vocal abilities in addition to commending him for being a trailblazer as a Black artist in country music.
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Perhaps the biggest compliment Rucker gave Brown was a comparison to the legendary, late Charley Pride.
“I’m sure there are kids looking up to Kane right now just like when I looked up at Charley Pride,” Rucker wrote. “One of the most pivotal moments of my career was when Charley shared some of the lessons he learned over the years with me. Those moments where we learn from country’s past need to continue. Charley opened the door when there were those in the country music industry that tried to close it.”
The GRAMMY-winner also gave a shoutout to other Black country artists such as Mickey Guyton and Jimmie Allen and close his note by sharing his hope for the future of country music.
“Kane is setting the bar so high for the next generation,” he concluded. “I hope kids see him and now think, ‘I can do that.’”
The “One Mississippi” singer took to social media to react to the news, writing, “So honored to be apart of this time 100 🔥 @time and thank you @dariusrucker for writing it, And also my fans for supporting me always ❤️”
To celebrate the TIME 100 list, Brown and musical superstar Billie Eilish will perform on the TIME 100 special, airing September 20 at 10pm ET on ABC.
The 2021 TIME 100 list also includes Shonda Rhimes, Dolly Parton, Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, Tom Brady, Elon Musk and more.
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.
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