Next Wednesday night, at the 54th Annual Country Music Awards, Charley Pride, the genres first Black superstar, will receive the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.

In Pride’s 50+ year career, he’s had 29 number one Country hits, including his signature “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” (1971) and “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone.”

Other honors include the CMA Entertainer of The Year (1971, 1972) and co-hosting  the1975 CMA’s with Glen Campbell.

The 54th Annual  CMA telecast is at 8P/7 Central on ABC. Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker host.

And….
 
American Masters’  “Charley Pride: I’m Just Me” airs on PBS next week (check local listings for date/time), telling the story of how Pride started life as a Mississippi share croppers son, to his career in baseball’s Negro League to his Country music stardom.

The show interviews Country music royalty:  Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, Brad Paisley, Marty Stuart and many more.

Michael Kantor, American Masters executive producer, said “We are honored to share the inspiring, and largely untold, story of this barrier-breaking performer with viewers nationwide.”

Pride’s 50-year career paved the way for current Black Country stars such as Darius Rucker, Kane Brown, Jimmie Allen and Mickey Guyton.