Pride sold millions of records and became the first Black performer to become a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
"It is with great sadness that we confirm that Charley Pride passed away this morning, Saturday, December 12, 2020, in Dallas, Texas of complications from Covid-19 at age 86. He was admitted to the hospital in late November with Covid-19 type symptoms and despite the incredible efforts, skill and care of his medical team over the past several weeks, he was unable to overcome the virus," a statement on Pride’s Facebook page says.
Pride became the first African-American member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000; he also won three Grammys as well as several awards from the Country Music Association.
Charley Pride was a sharecropper’s son, born in Sledge, Mississippi in 1934. Before pursuing a music career, Pride played professional baseball and served in the US army.
Pride made his final performance last month when he sang Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’ with Jimmie Allen during the CMA Awards show at Nashville’s Music City Center on 11 November.
