The Pride of Mississippi

In the late 1960's, when I was a young teacher in Great Falls, Montana, our favorite Friday night watering hole was a place along 10th Avenue called "The Ranch." There a handsome young black baseball player named Charley Pride would occasionally pick guitar and sing country-western in a style so authentic that one would not have guessed he was from the American South--much less have guessed that he, like I, was born and reared in rural Mississippi.

By now, that same Charley Pride, who gave up baseball in favor of a musical career, has sold some 70 million records--the sixth largest sales of any singer in American history. Today he and four other distinguished Mississippi artists received The 20th Annual Governor's Award sponsored by the Mississippi Arts Commission and presented by Governor Haley Barbour and First Lady Marsha Barbour.

Congratulations to all--especially to Sledge, Mississippi's own and Great Falls, Montana's adopted native son Charley Pride. Watch for his newest CD, a gospel album that includes a duet with Dolly Parton.