Charley Pride was always the odd man out in Nashville, and not just because of his race. The cat was a professional baseball player in the Pioneer League, and he was a good one. His sound was far more
country than many of his peers with big whining steel guitars, huge
gospel choruses, and deep mountain melodies entrenched in his popular mode of singing.
Chet Atkins knew exactly what he was doing when he signed him, and
Willie Nelson knew even better when he brought
Pride to the
Grand Ole Opry in the late 1960s.
Pride's particular gift was that he was a deep link between the countrypolitan sound of the time and the music's rich history that was brought into being by the
Carter and
Stoneman families. Nowhere is the evidence more clear than on this triple-CD package put out by RCA Australia (and budget priced). There are 50 tracks on this comp (as is customary for this series) that cover
Pride's career from his first single, "Mississippi Cotton Pickin' Time," to his first Grammy nomination in 1967 with "Just Between You and Me" to his first number one single in 1969 with "All I Have to Offer You Is Me" to the rest of his 29 number one singles (
country charts), as well as interesting overlooked items, B-sides, and more. The final track listed here is
Pride's last charting single, "Crystal Chandeliers." This is an awesome introduction to a major, if not cited often enough,
country music powerhouse, and a solid compilation that bests anything released in the United States. There is a lack of documentation in terms of years and related albums, but this is a small complaint when compared to the treasure trove of fine material here. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
