Remember When Charley Pride’s ‘Kiss an Angel Good Mornin” Topped the Charts?

This week in 1972, trailblazing country music star Charley Pride celebrated his eighth No.1 single when his iconic hit, “Kiss…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

January 24, 2022

Charley Pride; Photo by Ben De Rienzo

This week in 1972, trailblazing country music star Charley Pride celebrated his eighth No.1 single when his iconic hit, “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’,” topped the charts at country radio.

Released in 1971, “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” went on to become Pride’s seminal hit and is loved by fans around the world.

Written by Ben Peters, the song was the lead single from Pride’s album, Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs.

In addition to topping the country charts, the song also reached the Top 40 on the pop charts, peaking at No.21 on the Billboard Hot 100, and went into the Top 10 of the Adult Contemporary charts and No.19 on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100.

Throughout the song, Pride details his secret to love through the timeless lyrics.

“You’ve got to kiss an angel good mornin’/ And let her know you think about her when you’re gone/ Kiss an angel good mornin’/ And love her like the devil when you get back home,” Pride sings.

Charley Pride; Photo Courtesy of Joseph Llanes

“Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” was produced by Pride’s frequent collaborator Jack Clement.

The song catapulted Pride‘s career to new heights and helped him land the coveted title of CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1971 and thee Top Male Vocalist honors in 1971 and 1972.

The late Charley Pride, who was recently honored with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Lifetime Achievement Award, 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.

Click above to re-live Pride’s iconic hit single, “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’.”

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.