“Charley Pride, a pioneer, a music man, a baseball player, a good friend and the love of Rozene’s life, has passed on. Without his encouragement when I was playing the Whiskey.A-Go-Go on the Sunset Strip in the ‘70s, I might have never made it to Nashville – and to hear this news tears out a piece of my heart,” Milsap wrote. “That he died of COVID makes me even sadder. These are such sad days with too much lose.
Billy Ray Cyrus also paid tribute to Pride in a statement: “He opened the door for so many, including me. He took down walls and barriers meant to divide. He became a bridge of music for music lovers who found they had way more in common than they had different. And rules and stereotypes meant to separate were taken down and opened up to the free will of the artist and fan to become one in harmony and song.
Country-folk band Flatland Cavalry tweeted lyrics from Pride’s 1971 track “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'”: “Kiss an angel good morning and love her like the devil when you get back home. RIP to the legend Charley Pride.” Kiss an angel good morning & love her like the devil when you get back home… RIP to the legend Charley Pride.“The Voice” winner and singer Chevel Shepherd wrote, “Heartbroken to hear about Charley Pride. We just watched you on the CMA Awards. You have touched so many lives, and your music will continue to do just that.”
Heartbroken to hear about Charley Pride. We just watched you on the CMA Awards. You have touched so many lives, and your music will continue to do just that.