Charley Pride “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'”
Desert Diamond Casino, Tucson, Ariz., USA February 21, 2020
by Mary Andrews
It was more than 50 years ago since a young African American man embarked on a singing career in country music. He was from Sledge, Mississippi in the Mississippi Delta area. Charley Pride chose country music rather than the typical blues or R&B that the area was most famous.
Born to poor sharecroppers, Pride was influenced from an early age by his father’s taste in country music. They had an old Philco radio and they were able to tune in to WSM Country music radio station. On Saturday nights, they faithfully listened to the Grand Ole Opry. Pride got his first guitar from the Sears Roebuck mail-order catalog when he was 14.
Pride became the only African American country superstar in a traditional all-white landscape of entertainers. Pride’s first single was “The Snakes Crawl at Night” in 1966. It was released without a picture of the Pride on the record. From those early beginnings, Pride has been honored with CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1971 and a Grammy Award for “Kiss an Angel Good Morning.” He has recorded 500 or more songs and is second only to Elvis Presley in record sales at RCA records. With some 60 Billboard Top Ten hits and 29 number ones, Pride has an unlimited amount of material from which to draw during his live shows.
In response to Tucson Rodeo Days, Desert Diamond brought Pride and his band to Tucson as a part of the celebration. Pride entered the stage after the band warmed up the packed house with the first two songs. That said. the older crowd of loyal fans really didn’t need to be warmed up. Pride came on strong from the start of the show with his baritone voice and his wit. His first joke of the night was to say that he was “happy to be back in Nogales, oh, I meant Tucson.” Of course, there was a reaction from the fans to that. The discourse between Pride and the crowd continued throughout the show. Fans were shouting out requests and Pride would respond, “I’ll get to that, be patient.”
From there, he sang hit after hit. He performed “Is Anybody Going to San Antone” and “Crystal Chandeliers” early in the set. He gave tributes to Hank Williams as he credited Williams as being one of the reasons “I started singing country music.” Pride performed “Lovesick Blues” and “Kaw-Liga” in honor of Williams. He covered several Kris Kristofferson songs as well. It was obvious Pride was a big fan of Kristofferson’s lyrics.
Pride spoke of several career highlights including meeting and recording with Dolly Parton on the song, “God’s Coloring Book.”
Pride has opened the doors for many country singers of color. At his best, Pride is in the business of selling lyrics, feelings, and emotions. Every song that he sings has to have all three elements. That has been the secret to his success for more than 50 years. Pride’s voice, wit, charm, and charisma are still great reasons to go see this legend in concert.
Set list:
- Big Mamou (Hank Williams, Jr. cover)
- The Snakes Crawl at Night
- The Happiness of Having You
- It’s Gonna Take a Little Bit Longer
- Is Anybody Going to San Antone (Dave Kirby cover)
- Just Between You and Me
- Crystal Chandeliers
- Me and Bobby McGee (Kris Kristofferson cover)
- Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again) / Help Me Make It Through the Night / Sunday Morning Coming Down (Kris Kristofferson cover)
- Mississippi Cotton Pickin’ Delta Town
- Wings of a Dove (Ferlin Husky cover)
- Burgers and Fries
- You’re My Jamaica
- Lovesick Blues (Hank Williams cover)
- Mountain of Love (Harold Dorman cover)
- She’s Too Good to Be True
- Louisiana Man
- God’s Coloring Book
- Brush Arbor Meeting
- America the Great
- Kiss an Angel Good Morning
- Kaw-Liga (Hank Williams cover)
- Cotton Fields (Lead Belly cover)
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