He'd be thrilled': Charley Pride honored with life-size sculpture at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: Charley Pride's life-size sculpture was unveiled at Opry's most hallowed home, Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. The event took place on Wednesday, April 12, and the country singer’s family marked the historic occasion. Pride's widow, Rozene, and son Dion were present for the afternoon ceremony which was attended by about 300 friends and fans with actor-producer Dennis Quaid gracing the occasion. He is also the one working on the singer’s biopic too.
Rozene Pride, on the occasion, said that her husband who died in 2020, would have been "very humble" about this latest tribute to his beautiful career. "He was not one of those who bragged. But inside, he'd be thrilled to death," she said.
Rozene Pride shared the time she was shocked to know that it would be his husband who would be changing the status quo in 1967 and would end the color barrier on the Opry. "I was reading a press release where it said he was the first Black country singer [on the Opry]," and I looked up at him and said, 'Is this true?' And he said yes."
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"Permanent tan'
The couple grew the South enjoying the radio show, and "It never dawned on me that it was all white. I guess as a child, you don't think about those things." Pride who’s remembered for his breakthrough songs, including ‘Just Between You and Me,’ ‘Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’ and ‘Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,' once joked to his white audiences about his "permanent tan." Pride's son Dion took a moment to honor his father by saying that he wishes his father is remembered far more for his musical achievements "than the pigmentation aspect of it."
'He worked very hard at his craft'
"He worked very hard at his craft. And he was very proud of the product he put out. He was very proud of it because of his hard work," said Dion. The sculpture by Mississippi artist Ben Watts is of Pride's precise height, 6 feet, and it reflects him in his younger years, according to People. The legendary singer can be seen holding the same guitar featured on the cover of his album ‘Just Plain Charley,’ back in 1970.
