Charley’s Fierté, who died of complications from the coronavirus on December 12 at the age of 86, recalled breaking down barriers as one of the most prolific black country performers backstage at the Country Music Awards on November 11.
The ‘Kiss the Angel Good Mornin’ ‘singer, who was joined on stage by Jimmie Allen, spoke to E! Spencer Lubitz in the virtual press room of the awards ceremony on the fact that he was not the only revolutionary black artist at the time to lead the way in the musical genre.
“People say, so how does it feel to chart a course for country music The Black Singers?” I said, well, that’s fine with me. But they told me like that, but we had Al Downings, we have had Stoney Edwards. A guy came over, and he was a doctor, he started when I first went out… what was his name? Cleve Francis! I worked with him, ”Pride explained. So, I was given credit for paving the way for people who look like one of us. ”
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