On October 25, Garth Brooks will join the Recording Industry Association of America in honoring late country music legend Charley Pride with the RIAA’s lifetime achievement award. The event will take place at the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, Tenn.
“Sometimes the greatest honor you can receive is being part of honoring someone else – this is an honor,” Brooks said via a statement.
Pride’s son Dion will accept the honor on behalf of his late father. Brooks will also speak with songwriter, author, and Vanderbilt University faculty member Alice Randall as part of a Q&A session centering on the impact of Pride’s influence on country music. Randall penned the Trisha Yearwood hit “XXX’s and OOO’s,” consulted on and appeared in the Ken Burns documentary Country Music, and appeared in Pride’s PBS documentary I’m Just Me.
Back in August, CMT released a special on Pride titled CMT Giants: Charley Pride. The event brought together Charley’s superstar friends and some of the biggest names in music today to celebrate his most legendary hits, including Alan Jackson, Darius Rucker, son Dion Pride, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Gladys Knight, Jimmie Allen, Lee Ann Womack, Luke Combs featuring Robert Randolph + Reyna Roberts, Mickey Guyton and Wynonna.
Special guests Neal McCoy, Nolan Ryan, Reba, Ronnie Milsap, and Charley’s wife Rozene Pride, also appeared to share their personal memories and reflect on Charley’s lasting legacy, which are blended alongside rare archival photos, interviews and performances, with clips and commentary from Charley Pride himself.
Pride died December 13, 2020 due to COVID-19 complications at the age of 86. Country superstars across the country paid the trailblazing artist tribute. “I’m so heartbroken that one of my dearest and oldest friends, Charley Pride, has passed away,” wrote Dolly Parton on Twitter. “It’s even worse to know that he passed away from COVID-19. What a horrible, horrible virus. Charley, we will always love you.”
Listen to the best of Charley Pride on Apple Music or Spotify.
