Garth Brooks Shares Heartfelt Memories Of Charley Pride As He Honors Him with RIAA Lifetime Achievement Award
“Charley Pride was love,” Brooks declared.
Dion Pride, Garth Brooks; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
The late Charley Pride was honored with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Lifetime Achievement Award on Monday evening (Oct. 25) at the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, Tenn.
Pride’s longtime friend and fellow country superstar Garth Brooks was on hand to present the honor to Pride’s son, Dion, who accepted the plaque on his father’s behalf.
Brooks was joined by songwriter, author and Vanderbilt University faculty member, Alice Randall, for a Q&A session where he discussed Pride’s impact on the country music genre and shared personal stories and memories from a their decades-long friendship.
“We always sat together in the Hall of Fame inductions. I don’t know why, but they always paired us, so I got to sit next to Charley freaking Pride in a house where he belonged and I didn’t,” Brooks recalled. “I’m the new guy right? This guy is an icon and he would just reach over, he always touched ya, always poked ya, touched ya, and in between the singers… he’d reach over and poke me.”
Brooks said that after Pride would poke him, he would always sing the opening line of “That Summer” and remembered how it always brought a smile to his face.
Admitting that Pride’s kind gesture made him feel “more comfortable” in the situation, Brooks shared that he always felt like he was talking to a “brother” or an “uncle” when he was visiting with the late country music icon.
After sharing acoustic snippets of some of his favorite Charley Pride songs, Brooks told the story behind “Where the Cross Don’t Burn,” his duet with Pride that appears on his latest album, Fun. The ballad chronicles the relationship between a young White boy and an older Black gentleman during the time of segregation. Brooks held onto the song for a decade before asking Pride to sing on it with him.
“What I love about that song is it starts out as a white boy and a black old man and by the time you get to the end, it’s a young boy and a kind old man,” Brooks shared. “It’s my favorite thing. It’s the evolution or the progression of love. Where love gets you past the differences and focuses on what you have in common.”
Before presenting Dion with the RIAA plaque, Brooks shared his hope for continuing Pride’s legacy within country music.
“Charley Pride was love,” Brooks declared.
He later added, “So the best way that all of us can take Charley Pride’s name forward is to love one another. That was his thing.”
When accepting the RIAA Lifetime Achievement Award, Dion Pride remember his father and his appreciation for the genre.
“We’re all very, very proud of my father’s accomplishments, but for me, as a son, for all his accomplishments, of course all his accomplishments are really to me a by-product of the sheer love that he had, as Garth said, for country music,” he said.
Michele Ballantyne, Chief Operating Officer of the RIAA, was also on-hand to present the honor to Dion as well as to the National Museum of African American Music for display.
“Charley Pride was an all-time great who opened doors and challenged us all to think harder about what makes country music – and all music – great,” she shared. “We are so grateful to the National Museum of African American Music and the legendary Garth Brooks for coming together to present Charley’s family with his RIAA Lifetime Achievement Award. As a Black woman who loves country music, it was a privilege to be part of this incredible moment.”
Charley Pride passed away on December 12, 2020 at the age of 86. The Country Music Hall of Fame member celebrated 50 years as a recording artist, selling tens of millions of records throughout his career and charting 35 No.1 country singles. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry, a three-time GRAMMY winner and Recording Academy “Lifetime Achievement Award” winner. Additionally, he earned the title of the Country Music Association’s “Entertainer of the Year” award in 1971 and the “Top Male Vocalist” awards of 1971 and 1972.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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