[upbeat country music] [pleasant symphony music] ♪ I saw a golden ray of sunlight ♪ ♪ A silver drop of dew ♪ ♪ A soft, white floating cloud ♪ ♪ Sailing across the sky of blue ♪ ♪ A yellow dandelion ♪ ♪ Pretty evergreen ♪ ♪ And some red and orange flowers ♪ ♪ Growing wild along the stream ♪ ♪ And the more I look around me ♪ ♪ The more that I do look ♪ ♪ The more I realize that I am viewing ♪ ♪ God's coloring book ♪ - I'm Lillian Morris-Hilson, and I served as chair of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi for the year 2020.

Every January, the Community Foundation holds its Crystal Ball Gala,   which is attended   by 1200 people.

We look forward to next year   with an in-person event, and I hope each person watching will consider attending.

The highlight of the evening is the recognition of the Star of Hope.

We are here tonight to honor our 2021 Star of Hope who has performed thousands of concerts and whose life is shining down on us from heaven, Mr. Charley Pride from Sledge, Mississippi.

As you know, Mr.

Pride passed   away on December 12th, 2020.

This will be our first ever posthumous recognition of the prestigious Star of Hope and very fitting that it is Charley Pride, who has been first in so many areas of life providing hope to those who follow him.

- Thank you, Lilian.

That was a beautiful, beautiful tribute to Mr. Charley Pride.

We're delighted that his wife Rozene, who grew up in Oxford, Mississippi, and who married Charley Pride right here in Hernando, Mississippi on December 28th, 1956.

She's with us today and will accept the Star of Hope award in his memory.

- Let's pause a moment and give our thanks for the life and legacy of a great Mississippian and son of the Mississippi Delta, Mr. Charley Pride.

- The Star of Hope honor bestowed on Charley Pride is an appropriately named award.

Charley, you are indeed a star in every meaning of that word, not just as an artist with 29 number one country music hits, a Country Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award, and membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame, but a star who represents the best of humanity.

Your life's path was shaped by your father, who simply reminded you that your last name, Pride, would lead you out of the cotton fields of Sledge in Quitman County in the Mississippi Delta.

Charley, the Star of Hope honor you are receiving from the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi is a testimonial to your determination, your hard work, and your talent.

It's also a tribute to your parents and the entire Pride family who supported you in reaching stardom.

Charley, your whole life exemplifies hope.

Today's youth need hope and role models, especially those living in the counties served by the Community Foundation, some of the poorest counties in the country.

By connecting people who care with causes that matter, the Community Foundation gives them hope, and this honor you are receiving represents what having hope can do for someone's life.

It's a recognition of all that you achieved, which we tried to show in my country music documentary, transcending prejudice with your immense talent and big heart, breaking barriers in the country music industry, and becoming a shining beacon of hope for future generations.

♪ Like a 747 westbound ♪ ♪ 30,000 feet above the ground ♪ ♪ Like a feather in the wind or an arrow sent from the sky ♪ ♪ Like a bird up in the clouds ♪ ♪ Straight up like a rocket ♪ ♪ Up in the air ♪ Uncle Charley, I know you're up there smilin' down.

It's Curt Chambers here, and I'm honored to be participating along with the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi in honoring Charley Pride.

Charley Pride, you have paved the way for so many African-American country music artists with your achievements.

So, Charley Pride, today we honor you.

[mellow guitar music] - I'm honored to be here tonight to take part in this wonderful celebration of the incredible Charley Pride and his musical legacy that will live on forever.

I was around Charley just a few times, most recently at the premiere of the "American Masters" documentary by Barb Hall that was wonderful, a great night.

And back in the day when I toured with Don Williams for many, many years, we did quite a few shows with Charley, and Don was a big fan.

Any time we were on a bill with Charley, Don would kick it up a notch 'cause he knew Charley was bringin' his A game, and that was a wonderful thing to witness.

The mutual respect between superstars like that was very moving and very real.

So, I'd like to do something that I've only had the chance to do one other time, and I'm gonna read a proclamation that will explain what it is I'm talkin' about.

So, if you'll bear with me, here we go.

A proclamation from AFM Local 257.

"Today, we honor AFM life member Charley Pride "born March 18th, 1934 in Sledge, Mississippi, "who made groundbreaking, creative contributions "to American popular music for more than a half century while conducting himself with class and dignity."

Thanks so much for the opportunity to be part of this evening.

Charley, we will never forget you, and you will live on in our hearts and our ears for a long time.

Thank you, all, and God bless you.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Hi, I'm Boo Mitchell from Royal Studios here in Memphis, Tennessee, and I just wanna say big congratulations to Charley for being the 2021 Star of Hope honoree.

You greatly deserve this honor.

You're a pioneer at your work.

I'm a huge fan of you.

My father Willie Mitchell was a big fan of yours, and we just wanna say congratulations.

- When Grenada native Charlie Worsham learned of the death of his fellow Mississippian Charley Pride, he picked up his guitar to play his favorite Charley Pride song "Roll On Mississippi," the theme of our 2021 Crystal Ball.

Thanks, Charlie, for your rendition of "Roll On Mississippi."

- This is one of my favorite songs that Charley Pride recorded, and it brings to mind that sense of kinship because we share Mississippi roots.

"Roll On Mississippi."

[gentle acoustic guitar music] ♪ Walkin' along, whistlin' a song ♪ ♪ Barefoot and fancy free ♪ ♪ A big riverboat passin' us by ♪ ♪ She's headed for New Orleans ♪ ♪ There she goes ♪ ♪ Disappearin' around the bend ♪ ♪ Roll on Mississippi ♪ ♪ You make me feel like a child again ♪ ♪ A cool river breeze, like peppermint leaves ♪ ♪ The taste of it takes me back ♪ ♪ Chewin' on straw, torn overalls ♪ ♪ Cane pole and old straw hat and muddy river ♪ ♪ Just like a long lost friend ♪ ♪ Roll on Mississippi ♪ ♪ You make me feel like a child again ♪ ♪ Roll on Mississippi ♪ ♪ Big river roll ♪ ♪ You're the childhood dream I grew up on ♪ ♪ Roll on Mississippi ♪ ♪ Carry me home ♪ ♪ I can see I've been away too long ♪ ♪ Roll on, Mississippi, roll on ♪ ♪ Roll on, Mississippi, roll on ♪ [mellow guitar music] - Hello, everyone.

As the 2020 Star of Hope recipient, it is my honor to pay tribute to Charley Pride this evening.

I had the pleasure of spending some time with Charley a few years ago in New York,   and he was everything we   Mississippians are all about.

Warm, kind, approachable,   and, oh, so talented.

I'm standing in the galleries of the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience here in Meridian which showcases Mississippi's immense cultural legacy.

It honors our legends and   inspires tomorrow's artists   to follow their dreams.

So, if you haven't   been here, it's a must.

Charley is also honored   here in the exhibitions   and the magnificent   Hall of Fame.

His memory is enshrined here along with quite a list.

Tammy Wynette, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Buffet, B.B.

King, Leontyne Price, Jimmy Rogers, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and of course, Elvis.

And there are many more.

Mississippi truly enjoys an embarrassment of riches, and there is somethin' in the water.

I promise you, it's crazy.

Charley Pride was born on   a 40-acre sharecropper farm   in Sledge, Mississippi.

And every week his daddy would   turn on the radio station   to the Grand Ole Opry, and it became the soundtrack of Pride's childhood.

Charley Pride changed the perception of country music with classics like "I'm Just Me" and "Kiss an Angel Good Morning."

As the first African-American country superstar in the 1950s,   he made the genre accessible   to a wider audience   and showed us all that   immense talent triumphed   over prejudice.

It's with great sadness that we witness the passing of our Mississippi hero Charley Pride.

He will always be in our hearts.

I only wish he was here tonight.

[mellow guitar music] - Well, we lost our brother Charley Pride this year.

What a legend, a pioneer, a dear, dear friend, and as far as The Oak Ridge Boys are concerned, I don't think there's anyone more deserving of the Star of Hope award than Charley Pride.

- I'd agree.

- Hey, y'all, this is T. Graham Brown.

Charley, just wanted to tell ya, we're missin' ya, buddy, but you know you're the perfect person to get the 2021 Star of Hope award.

We love ya.

Nothin' is better than some Charley Pride.

♪ Mountain of love, my love love ♪ ♪ You should be ashamed ♪ Love ya, Charley.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Roll on, Mississippi, roll on.

- I can't remember the first time I met Charley.

I think it might've been over in Dallas or Houston at a golf tournament, but, of course, Charley and I just hit it off from the get-go that first time.

He knew where Drew, Mississippi was.

I knew where Sledge, Mississippi was.

So that kind of got our conversation, and actually, our friendship going.

So, he was comin' to town   one day to do a concert,   and he wanted to come   to Saints' practice.

So, I sent some   people out to get him.

He came and watched   practice, threw the ball.

You know, Charley was   a old baseball player.

He loved sports, and he really enjoyed that.

Our coach wanted him to talk to the team that day, but he was just a, I always said he's a.

Of course, he was great at his profession, wonderful country music, but he was also a great Mississippian.

[mellow guitar music] - My friend Charley Pride was one of the first to break the most incredible barriers and rose to the top quicker in country music than any artist before him.

He is so deeply missed and has left an incredible void in the music industry here in Nashville.

I can't think of anyone more deserving of the Star of Hope award than my friend of over 50 years the incredible, iconic Charley Pride.

[mellow guitar music] - Mary and I are so honored to have been a part of this organization for so many years and to have shared the spotlight of winning this award with friends like Archie and Olivia Manning, Marty Stuart, Sela Ward, and Bradford Cobb.

And tonight we add Charley Pride to that list.

- One of Mississippi's finest.

I think that to recognize Charley's legacy of love and philanthropy for all things Mississippi is especially poignant and heart-filling this year.

We miss him so.

Mississippi will miss him greatly, and certainly every day we'll treasure his memory and think of him kissing an angel good morning.

- Ahh, in 1999 we put together an organizational effort to raise money for the Trent Lott Leadership Institute in Mississippi, and we did a big concert at the Kennedy Center.

Charley Pride was one of the first people to step up and join us.

- As always.

- We will miss him.

And we will miss him, and we wish his family the very, very best.

And we send our condolences and love to them, and just know that his legacy will live on through this Stars of Hope award from the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi.

- We are proud to be a part of celebrating Charley tonight.

- A one, two, three, four, one.

[upbeat fiddle and guitar music] ♪ If ever I chance to meet ♪ ♪ Old friends on the street ♪ ♪ They wonder how does a man get to be this way ♪ ♪ Always got a smilin' face ♪ ♪ Anytime and any place ♪ ♪ And every time they ask me why ♪ ♪ I just smile and say ♪ ♪ You've got to ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And let her know you think about her when you're gone ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And love her like the devil when you get back home ♪ ♪ Though people may try to guess ♪ ♪ The secret of our happiness ♪ ♪ But some of them never learn that it's a simple thing ♪ ♪ The secret I'm speakin' of ♪ ♪ Is a woman and a man in love ♪ ♪ And the answer is in this song that I always sing ♪ ♪ You've got to ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good morning ♪ ♪ And let her know you think about her when you're gone ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And love her like the devil when you get back home ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And let her know you think about her when you're gone ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And love her like a devil when you get back home ♪ ♪ Lord, home ♪ - Early in my career, I programmed what would become the number one country music station in America, WMAQ in Chicago.

At that time, I met an incredible new talent, Charley Pride.

And the impact he had on the music business was felt then as it's felt today.

And it's only appropriate that my fellow Mississippian is awarded the Star of Hope.

[mellow guitar music] - Charley was more than an icon, more than a legend.

He was somebody that transcended everything that was supposed to be in music.

The things he did in pavin' the way for me and so many others to come and play country music, and the time he did and the way he did it was with grace and elegance.

It was amazing, and the thing that really gets me is when we became friends how truly great of a man he was.

He was just a great man, and I miss him.

And he, music lost one of the all-time greats when we lost Charley Pride.

[mellow guitar music] - Charley was one of the greatest people, persons, men I've ever known, aside from bein' one of the greatest country singers of all time.

Charley was very important for many generations of country singers, as he was the Jackie Robinson of country music.

Just a better person I never met.

He was just a genuine, real human being, aside from having the gift of being the greatest, one of the greatest, country singers of all time.

Maybe Hank could sing with him, but that's about it.

He was a wonderful guy.

I'm proud to say that he and Rozene have been here in our home a time or two back in the day at a Christmas party and what have you.

I did many TV shows with Charley and a few dates on the road.

I always loved his presence, feeling uplifted and enriched for being around him.

So, God bless him.

He will really be missed, and God bless you.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- People are always surprised when I tell them that I love country music, especially the country music from the 1980s.

My father always took us to the Mid-South Fair and the World Championship Rodeo in the Mid-South Coliseum.

It was one of my favorite times of the year, and at the rodeo I got to see all these great acts, like Waylon Jennings, like Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, oh, the Mandrell Sisters.

Loretta Lynn, Alabama, Oak Ridge Boys.

But one of the greatest acts that I got to see there and a person I began to follow was Charley Pride.

When I think of Mississippi these days, one of the songs that comes to mind is "Roll On Mississippi" by Charley Pride.

He was a unique and absolutely fabulous singer, and someone who was not afraid to follow his dreams, even into an arena where there were not many African-Americans.

So, Charley Pride will always stand out for me as someone who was courageous enough to follow his own dreams and talented enough to stand out in a field where he stood alone for such a long time.

Charley Pride was a unique American, and I think his memory will last forever.

And whenever I hear the words roll on Mississippi, it's Charley Pride that I'll think of.

We'll miss him, and, man, I really regret that future country music fans won't have the chance to see the great Charley Pride perform.

- Mac McAnally has been named the Country Music Association Musician of the Year ten consecutive years and won numerous awards.

You will hear for the first time, first time, his personal story of his friendship with Charley Pride and the music behind that friendship.

- I didn't get to know Charley really well, but I can throw in one little thing.

Kind of late in his career, he cut a song of mine I wrote with my friend Mr. Tommy Brassfield.

And Tommy had had a breakup with a girlfriend, which was very common for him, and he wanted to write a revenge song.

And he wrote, he had the song title called "I Wanna Hurt Her on the Radio."

And Tommy and I wrote that song kind of as a funny song, I guess, and it got recorded by Keith Whitley, which is awesome.

It got recorded by David Allan Coe, and it sat around a few years after it had been an album cut.

And Charley asked if he could sing it as "I Wanna Love Her on the Radio."

And he did, and he had a top 10 record.

And it was the title of an album, which would've made my dad so proud that I had a song that was the title of Charley Pride album and that Charley sang one of my songs.

But it's just a little bit of an example of what he was able to do, take somethin'.

I mean, our song was probably a little bit, it was a revenge song.

It was kinda mean, and he found somethin' good about it.

And for him comin' out of Sledge, Mississippi at the time he came from Sledge, Mississippi, he took all that was good and bad from those and ended up just puttin' out good.

And our little song.

♪ I'm gonna love her on the radio ♪ ♪ She's gonna hear me everywhere she goes ♪ ♪ Get her back the only way I know ♪ ♪ I'm gonna love her on the radio ♪ And that's sort of the magic of Charley Pride.

He could take somethin' that was even intended to be aggravatin' and make it special, and make it pretty, and make it positive.

And that's why, one of the reasons why, he's gettin' the Star of Hope, and it's one of my main reasons why I'm so proud to be a little part of braggin' on you, Charley.

It's wonderful to know ya, and it's glad that, we're all glad that we've got this music to hang onto for as long as we're here on earth.

You did a great job.

You deserve the Star of Hope.

Mississippi's proud.

I'm proud.

God bless.

[mellow guitar music] - Hello, Charley Pride.

I'm here to tell you one more time how much I love you and how much you mean to me.

I've said it so many times.

You're truly one of my all-time country music heroes.

Goin' back to my days in Philadelphia, Mississippi, discoverin' country music, I heard your records, and I was so proud of you because you were one of our guys from Mississippi, and you made it all the way to the top.

And you never forgot us,   and as time has gone on,   you've become my friend.

And I still look to   you as a little kid looks to a country music hero.

You will always be one of my country music heroes.

I wish I could be there tonight.

Connie and I are on the road travelin', but we send our love and our deepest respect.

- Hi, my name is Emily Havens, and I am the Executive Director of Grammy Museum Mississippi.

In 2019 we were honored to have Grammy winner and great Mississippian Mr. Charley Pride here at the museum.

He will be greatly missed.

His music and his legacy will live on forever.

Tonight I can't think of a better recipient of the Star of Hope than Mr. Charley Pride.

[mellow guitar music] - Hi, I'm David Lee Murphy.

It's a pleasure to be here to celebrate and honor Charley Pride.

Charley Pride was a true country music icon.

I remember as a kid in my hometown my parents had a clock radio, and every mornin' the clock radio would go off.

And I remember one mornin' wakin' up to the song "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone?"

and picturing every word of that song.

And Charley sang that song like he was there, and everybody that was listenin' to the song was there too.

And he just had an effortless quality of conveying songs.

I think one of my favorite Charley Pride memories for me personally was about 2006 or 2007.

We did a show at the Ryman Auditorium one night in Nashville, and Charley was the host of the show.

And my band and I got up there to do a quick set, four or five songs.

One of the songs we did that night was "Livin' in Fast Forward," a song that I co-wrote with another Mississippi boy Rivers Rutherford.

It was recorded by Kenny Chesney, and that song that year was a hit.

And so we just wanted to do it for the Fanfare show.

And I remember after we wrapped it up and walked down to our dressing room, and we're just sittin' around in the dressing room relaxin' and laughin' and talkin'.

in walks Charley Pride, and he opened the door in 100% Charley Pride fashion, and he sang the entire chorus to "Livin' in Fast Forward."

And it was amazing.

All the guys in my band still remember that, and to this day when we sing "Livin' in Fast Forward," we talk about Charley Pride.

He had no idea what an impact that had on us and how special of a moment that was for us that night.

And, Charley, I know you're up there tonight listenin' and smilin' and laughin' at some of these stories, but I just wanna say thank you for bein' a true country music legend.

And also I just wanna say thank you for bein' a first-class person.

- Grammy nominations and Grammy awards run through Clarksdale's native Kingfish Ingram's DNA.

He's a cousin of Charley Pride and was just nominated for the best traditionalist blues album.

He filmed this special tribute to his cousin just for the Crystal Ball, makin' it his second time to perform at the Crystal Ball.

The first was when he was with the Delta Blues Museum student group, who were guest performers at where, the Crystal Ball.

Let's welcome back Kingfish.

- What's goin' on, y'all?

This is Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, and I just wanna do this tribute to the Mr. late, great Charley Pride.

[mellow guitar music] ♪ Rain drippin' off the brim of my hat ♪ ♪ It sure is cold today ♪ ♪ And here I am walkin' down 66 ♪ ♪ Wish she hadn't done me that way ♪ ♪ Sleepin' under a table at a roadside park ♪ ♪ A man could wake up the dead ♪ ♪ But it sure seems warmer than it did ♪ ♪ Sleepin' in our king-sized bed ♪ ♪ Is anybody goin' to San Antone ♪ ♪ Or Phoenix, Arizona ♪ ♪ Any place is all right as long I ♪ ♪ Can forget I've ever known her ♪ ♪ Wind whippin' down the neck of my shirt ♪ ♪ Like I ain't got nothin' on ♪ ♪ But I'd rather fight the wind and the rain ♪ ♪ Than what I've been fightin' at home ♪ ♪ Yonder comes a truck with the U.S. mail ♪ ♪ People writin' letters back home ♪ ♪ Tomorrow she'll probably want me back ♪ ♪ But I'll still be just as gone ♪ ♪ Is anybody going to San Antone ♪ ♪ Or Phoenix, Arizona ♪ ♪ Any place is all right as long as I ♪ ♪ Can forget I've ever known her ♪ ♪ Anybody goin' to San Antone ♪ ♪ Or Phoenix, Arizona ♪ ♪ Any place is all right as long as I ♪ ♪ Can forget I've ever known her ♪ [mellow guitar music] - The B.B.

King Museum offers our sincerest condolences to the family of Charley Pride.

The world has lost another great Mississippi music icon.

Like B.B.

King, Charley Pride's music helped to break barriers, and also like Mr. King he shares in the honor of receiving the Star of Hope award.

Charley Pride's legacy will live on in his songs and in those that his songs influenced.

[mellow guitar music] - Hello, I'm Lee Greenwood.

Very few artists come to Nashville, Tennessee and have the kind of success Charley Pride did.

He certainly broke a barrier.

He was a great singer, great entertainer, and a wonderful human being.

And he was my friend.

When I first got to Nashville, Tennessee, he let me open up for him several times, and we would meet at the Truck Stop after the show.

But then in later years, we met more often than not at the Nashville airport.

We both flew American Airlines, and we'd generally end up in the Admiral's Club and get a selfie.

Talk about each other's job, where we were playing that year, and talk about family.

He loved his family.

He loved entertaining.

He loved country music.

No one is more deserving of this Star of Hope award than my friend Charley Pride.

[mellow guitar music] - Hi, folks, my name is Jimmy Payne.

I've been a big Charley Pride fan now ever since his first recording.

He became a part of my life back in 1976 when he recorded a song that I had written with Naomi Martin called "My Eyes Can Only See as Far as You."

Thank you, Charley, for makin' that a number one record, and thank you for your contribution to country music.

Rest in peace, my friend.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Everybody, I'm Mickey Gilley.

Not too long ago we lost somebody in the country music field that's one of the greatest, Mr. Charley Pride.

Had a chance to visit with him, and me and Johnny Lee had a chance to visit with him for about, I guess, 35, 40 minutes not too long ago, not knowing that he wouldn't be with us very long.

We lost a great country music performer.

He did for country music what Jackie Robinson did to the baseball game.

I'm gonna miss him.

He was a friend.

We celebrated our birthday together in March.

Mr. Charley Pride is gone, but he won't be forgotten.

And country music is missing an icon in the music world.

We'll miss you, Charley.

We love ya.

A friend and a fan, Mickey Gilley.

Thanks for watching.

♪ She said I'm gonna hire a wino ♪ ♪ To decorate our home ♪ ♪ You'll feel more at ease now ♪ ♪ You won't need to roam ♪ Every time I'd walk up onto the set where Charley Pride was, he'd sing that song for me.

[laughing] He'd sing that song as I'm walkin' up to him.

He knew the words to that song, I know, better than I did.

When I first heard that Charley was gone, my heart has been so saddened, and I know that everybody else feels the same way about that.

I miss you so much, Charley, I couldn't even.

I can't believe this.

I'm havin' a hard time with it.

I just remember all those great songs.

I remember all those great concerts that everybody did, and we all did together.

And I remember one thing particularly.

I remember playing golf.

I remember playing golf with you.

The Charley Pride Open.

It was somethin' called Charley Pride Open there in Albuquerque, New Mexico way back in the day when I was workin' with the great Buck Owens.

I'd come there and be on all them golf shows with you.

Charley, we miss you.

We miss you.

Say hello to heaven for me, pal.

- I'm Steve Azar, the music and culture ambassador to Mississippi.

Before I made my way back home with my family, I spent 20 years in Music City.

It was back then at a night at the Grand Ole Opry that I first met the great Charley Pride.

Charley, so, I'd like to speak to you as if you're here because I know in my heart you are.

You walk in the room, in my dressing room, and before I could utter a word and tell you how thrilled I was to meet you, you started singin' the lyrics to my songs, "Waitin' on Joe" and "I Don't Have to Be Me 'Til Monday."

That was our introduction.

I think it was that moment that I realized that I had truly arrived.

I'd always lived thinkin' ahead and tomorrow.

What do I need to do next?

And I think you just really made me realize at that point was take a moment and enjoy the ride.

You've always been so gracious to me and so many artists like me.

You paved the way for an entire generation and now a new generation.

You changed the way music was made.

You dared to dare.

And I remember growin' up as a kid, my mom would tell me, she grew up on Highway 61, in a grocery store.

And my young version of a mother knew your young version of you.

When you'd come in the store in a baseball uniform, you were one heck of an athlete.

So, I felt like to put it in a way that young Charley Pride, the young version of you would understand best, how you impacted the world of music and the world period.

To all people, you're not just some home run in some game.

You're a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning, bases loaded, down three in the World Series.

That's how great you have been to us, and I know angels are flyin' so close to the ground tonight.

You're so deserving of this award and so many others, and I have been blessed to get to know you, my friend.

I can't wait 'til we meet again.

- Blues Grammy winner Bobby Rush wrote a tribute song to Charley Pride on Friday December 11th at approximately 7 p.m. Only hours later, early Saturday morning, Charley Pride passed away.

The song has never been heard, and we were honored that Bobby Rush will perform it from the famous Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.

Here's Bobby Rush.

- Hi, my name is Bobby Rush, better known as Sue's boyfriend.

When we talk about friends, we're talkin' about somethin' hard to find.

Friends like hen teeth don't come often, but Charley Pride is a guy I wanna talk about now.

I know Charley 'cause you give him the award Star of Hope here in Mississippi.

You're a Mississippi boy like I am.

I appreciate you, man.

I love you to death.

I heard the story about when you was a young man you couldn't put your pictures on the cover of the album because you were afraid it may get tangled up knowin' who you are and what you are and the color of your skin.

I've been there and done that, but I'm gonna tell you somethin' that out of all the things that people been through in life you came out of the mold of Mississippi.

And you made somethin' out of yourself.

it made me and other people look at you and look up to you.

Thank you for what you've done, what you're doin', what you plan to do because all of this you have done to make Bobby Rush a part of who and what I am.

I wanna leave this with ya.

[mellow blues music] ♪ Sometimes I wonder ♪ ♪ Sometimes I wonder ♪ ♪ What gonna happen to me when I get too old ♪ ♪ Sometimes I wonder ♪ ♪ What's gonna happen to me when I get too old ♪ ♪ Would you take me in your house ♪ ♪ Or would you just throw me outdoors ♪ ♪ Sometimes I wonder ♪ ♪ What did the world ever think of me ♪ ♪ I wonder sometimes, Charley ♪ ♪ What the world do think of you and me ♪ ♪ Would you take me in your house ♪ ♪ Or do me like a dog to a tree ♪ ♪ How long ♪ ♪ Tell me how long, how long, how long ♪ ♪ I wonder how long ♪ ♪ Charley, I wonder, I wonder, how long, how long ♪ ♪ If you're confused ♪ ♪ I'm talkin' about my 40 acres and my mule ♪ ♪ Granddaddy died waiting ♪ ♪ Mama died waiting too ♪ ♪ Martin Luther King died waiting ♪ ♪ Charley, what about, what about me and you ♪ ♪ If you're still confused ♪ ♪ Charley Pride ♪ ♪ I'm waitin' on my 40 acres and my mule ♪ It's you, my brother.

I'm waiting.

I know you do too.

Love you, man.

Love you, man.

And you can't do nothin' about it.

My name is Bobby Rush.

Charley, congratulations.

- Three days after Christmas, on December the 28th of 1956, Charley Pride and his bride-to-be, Rozene, came down from Memphis.

Charley was playing in the old Negro leagues in Memphis for the Memphis Red Sox.

It was not by happenstance that Charley and his bride-to-be came to Hernando.

Look Magazine did a full page spread on Hernando being the marriage capital of the U.S.A. And they came to Hernando, and I spoke with Cathy Davis-Sanders, who is the daugther of our late circuit clerk.

She said her father does indeed remember issuing the marriage license to Charley and Rozene.

But those being segregated times, Mr. John Baldwin, brother John Baldwin, an African-American minister actually married them on the courthouse grounds.

Most of the white residents of the town, or those tourists coming into town to get married, would've been married in the marriage chapel, but nonetheless the love of Charley's life, Rozene, they tied the knot here in Hernando.

Many people are really astonished to find that out.

I always found that it was the stories that really resonated with people.

Those are the true gems, you know, the characters that we meet along the way.

The troubadours like Charley Pride who left a ball field and cotton fields to pursue his dream of country music.

But for me as a resident of about a quarter century now, this is home.

- Dion and I would like to thank you for bestowing the Star of Hope award on Charley.

He was lookin' forward to the opportunity to be recognized by his fellow Mississippians.

The Pride family is grateful to the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi for the honor.

- Thank you.

- What age did you get your first guitar?

- Fourteen.

- Fourteen.

You just started messin' around with it?

- I bought it from Sears Roebuck, and I still feel bad about it.

I left it out in the wagon in the rain, and I never could keep it in tune.

So, I had to play it just the way it [making a sound].

- It's authentic.

Did it, do you still have the guitar that got?

- No, I tell ya, the Country Music Hall of Fame would love to have this, even the neck of that thing.

I kept the neck for a long time, but I don't know.

- That's awesome.

- It's, I was 14 years of age.

Now, that's over 50 years, 60 years.

- So, I know baseball was your first, your breakthrough to get away from Mississippi to make a name for yourself.

So, you were, primarily concentrated on baseball before singing, is that correct?

- Yeah, I was gonna go to the Major Leagues and break all the records there and set new ones by the time I was 35, 36, then sing.

- So, that was in your plans?

- Yeah, it was.

- The singing was after the baseball.

- That was the plan, yeah.

Get up on stage and sing in different towns, and they did hear me sing.

They said one time.

They said, "Man, you don't sing too bad."

We was gettin' $2 eatin' money and 100 a month.

So, you can make a lot of money singin'.

He says, "Why don't you?"

I said, "Well, yeah, I'd like to, but I've got to get them records."

Who hit the most home runs?

Not Babe Ruth, Charley Pride.

Who's the last .400 hitter?

Not Ted Williams, Charley Pride.

- Everyone who ever wanted to be a country music singer faced insurmountable odds to every be that successfully, but nobody ever faced the odds that Charley Pride faced and conquered them like that man.

I think that's why he was so supportive of new artists and new people and young talent like he was for people like me.

When I was about 15 years old, I opened for Charley, and it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

I had heard before he got to town that he was the type of guy that took an interest in a young talent, and sure enough, here I was singin' some songs before he walked on stage at the Wheeling Jamboree.

He walked out in the darkness, and he sat down next to my dad in the theater.

And my dad just about had a heart attack.

And he turned to him and said, "Who is this young man?"

And my dad said, "That's my son."

And Charley said, "Well, here's my number.

"Call me.

"He's great.

"I wanna help."

We still had his number 'til the very end.

He still had ours.

And years later we were performing at the White House together, and he walked up to my dad downstairs in the map room of the White House of the United States and said, "6-1" or said the number.

And, of our home phone.

He remembered that.

We were friends all those years, and I think the first time I really felt the encouragement of somebody who knew what it takes to be successful was that, was Charley.

I miss you, Charley, and thank you on behalf of everyone, first of all, that you had the career you had and more than that, that you were so helpful to people like me.

- A friend of mine, Addie Johnson, was in my Sunday school class, and I knew that her husband, Jack Johnson, was managing Charley.

And so, anyway, I asked her one day after Sunday school if she'd mind.

I said, "Ben has been writing some great, great songs, "and would you mind if I brought a tape "so you could give it to your husband and see if they like any of 'em."

So, she said, "Well, sure."

So, the next Sunday I was there, and after class I gave her the tape.

And I said, "Well, I'll just check back with you to see if they liked any of the songs."

You know, you never know if people are gonna like 'em or not.

So, I did call her, and I said, "Well, Addie, how did Jack like the songs?"

She said, "Oh, Jackie, he loved 'em, "but there's one song on there "that he wants to get in the studio with Charley right away."

And that was "Kiss an Angel."

Charley Pride cut 68 of Ben's songs,   and he did a fabulous job.

He sounded good on   all of 'em, you know?

And, of course, that was a real blessin' for us, a tremendous blessin'.

Charley was such a nice guy to everybody.

And, you know, I just appreciate him admiring Ben's work the way he did.

They really just clicked together, great, you know?

Two Mississippi boys, who'd a thought it?

You know?

[laughing] And it was a great relationship.

It really was.

- Now, I'd like to do the biggest single I ever had written by a guy that came right from Harlandale, Mississippi.

His name was Ben Peters, and I appreciate that song because it was the biggest thing I ever had of all of my songs.

I'd like to do it for you right now.

[mellow country music] ♪ Whenever I chance to meet ♪ [crowd cheering and applauding] ♪ Some old friends on the street ♪ ♪ They wonder how does a man get to be this way ♪ ♪ I've always got a smiling face ♪ ♪ Anytime and any place ♪ ♪ And every time they ask me why ♪ ♪ I just smile and say ♪ ♪ You've got to ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And let her know you think about her when you're gone ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And love her like a devil when you get back home ♪ [crowd cheering] ♪ People may try to guess ♪ ♪ The secret of our happiness ♪ ♪ But some of them never learn that it's a simple thing ♪ ♪ The secret I'm speakin' of ♪ ♪ Is a woman and a man in love ♪ ♪ And the answer is in this song that I always sing ♪ ♪ 'Cause you've got to ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And let her know you think about her when you're gone ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And love her like the devil when you get back home ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And let her know you think about her when you're gone ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And love her like the devil when you get back home ♪ [crowd cheering and applauding] Oh, thank you.

And just a little, thank you so much.

[upbeat symphony music] - Hi, I'm Robin Hurdle, President of the Maddox Foundation and co-founder of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi.

This is my husband Lanier.

Congratulations again, Robin, on winning the Margaret Maddox Woman of the Year award.

- Robin and I are equally honored to present Mr. Bob Dunlap of Batesville, Mississippi as the Dan Maddox Man of the Year.

We'd just like to say congratulations again to Bob Dunlap for winning the Dan Maddox Man of the Year award.

- Hello, I'm Billy Myers.

HeartLand Hands Food Pantry is located in Southaven, Mississippi, and since March the 1st has provided two million pounds of food to 70 food pantries and social service agencies throughout Mississippi.

It's my honor to recognize HeartLand Hands and its director Connie James as our Nonprofit of the Year.

- Thank you, Billy, and thank you Community Foundation and the Maddox Foundation for everything you've done to make this possible.

Thank you.

- I'm Mat Lipscomb, a member of the Community Foundation's board of directors, and I serve on the finance committee.

I'm pleased to introduce Wade Incorporated from Greenwood, Mississippi as our Business of the Year.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Roll on Mississippi.

- Hey, I'm Tom Pittman, one of the co-founders of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi.

It seems amazing that we've come as far as we have.

We started off with just a lunch   on the square at   Hernando talking   about computers and classrooms.

And that became an   effort to put a computer   in every public school   classroom in Desoto County   and then in Mississippi.

And after we saw what   organized philanthropy   could accomplish,   we decided we ought to   maybe institutionalize that.

And Robin Hurdle at   the Maddox Foundation   led the way in helping   us to organize ourselves   into the Community Foundation   of Northwest Mississippi.

Taking a simply,   little motto of   connecting people who care   with causes that matter.

We looked at education,   health, children,   and those are the   causes that matter.

And then, we began   to figure out   that there's lots   and lots of people   who care about those things   if we could just   organize and connect them   in a way that they   could see results   from their philanthropy   for their charity.

And we would have the   Community Foundation   of Northwest Mississippi.

So, that's what   happened in 2002,   and I had the honor   of chairing the board as a volunteer for a couple of years and then became the first paid president.

And it's been a wonderful experience.

♪ I just don't need nobody near to cling to ♪ ♪ I still love someone I've known a long long time ♪ ♪ And I still love someone I've known a long long time ♪ That's enough.

- Yeah.

- That's the one.

[upbeat country music] ♪ Whenever I chance to meet ♪ ♪ Some old friends on the street ♪ ♪ They wonder how does a man get to be this way ♪ ♪ I've always got a smilin' face ♪ ♪ Anytime and any place ♪ ♪ And every time they ask me why ♪ ♪ I just smile and say ♪ ♪ You've got to ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And let her know you think about her when you're gone ♪ ♪ Kiss an angel good mornin' ♪ ♪ And love her like the devil when you get back home ♪ ♪ Well people may try to guess ♪ ♪ The secret of ♪