Cat. No. VV 1093: CHARLEY PRIDE ~ THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF HANK IN ME. RCA VICTOR APL1 3548.

USED VINYL RECORD. PART OF A COLLECTION NOW UP FOR SALE.

THIS TIME WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR COUNTRY MUSIC FANS ON OFFER.

CHARLEY FRANK PRIDE IS ONLY ONE OF A VERY ELITE GROUP OF THREE PERSONS. THOSE THREE BEING THE ONLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN COUNTRY ARTISTS TO BE MEMBERS OF THE GRAND OLE OPRY, THE OTHERS BEING DE FORD BAILEY AND DARIUS RUCKER.

WHEN CHARLEY WAS 14 YEARS OF AGE HIS MOTHER PURCHASED HIM HIS FIRST GUITAR AND HE TAUGHT HIMSELF TO PLAY. THOUGH HE LOVED MUSIC ONE OF CHARLEY'S LIFELONG DREAMS WAS TO BECOME PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL PLAYER. HIS ATTEMPTS AT THIS PROFESSION ARE VARIED AND FAR TOO INVOLVED TO GO INTO HERE SO WE WILL STICK TO CHARLEY PRIDE AND COUNTRY MUSIC.

IN 1960, CHARLEY WAS WORKING AT THE ASARCO LEAD SMELTER IN EAST HELENA AND PLAYING FOR THE EAST HELENA SMELTERITES, A SEMI-PRO BASEBALL TEAM, WHEN HIS SINGING ABILITY CAME TO THE ATTENTION OF THE TEAM MANAGER. HE WAS RECRUITED TO SING FOR 15 MINUTES BEFORE EACH GAME, WHICH INCREASED ATTENDANCE AND EARNED HIM ANOTHER $10 ON TOP OF THE $10 HE WAS PAID FOR EACH GAME. HE ALSO PLAYED GIGS IN THE LOCAL AREA, BOTH SOLO AND WITH A BAND CALLED THE NIGHTHAWKS.

CHARLEY HAD BEEN ENCOURAGED TO JOIN THE MUSIC BUSINESS BY COUNTRY STARS RED SOVINE AND RED FOLEY AND IN 1958 HE RECORDED SOME SONGS AT SUN STUDIOS IN MEMPHIS. HIS BIG BREAK CAME WHEN CHET ATKINS HEARD A DEMONSTRATION TAPE AND GOT CHARLEY A CONTRACT WITH RCA IN 1965. IN 1966, HE RELEASED HIS FIRST RCA SINGLE, "THE SNAKES CRAWL AT MIDNIGHT" WHICH DID NOT CHART. HIS SECOND RELEASE FOR RCA, "BEFORE I MET YOU" ALSO DID NOT CHART, HOWEVER, HIS THIRD SINGLE, "JUST BETWEEN YOU AND ME" TOOK OFF AND CHARLEY PRIDE HAD ARRIVED. DURING THE PEAK OF HIS RECORDING CAREER HE HAD 52 TOP 10 HITS ON THE BILLBOARD HOT COUNTRY SONGS CHART, 30 OF WHICH MADE IT TO NUMBER ONE. SADLY WE LOST CHARLEY ON 12 DECEMBER , 2020 FROM COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19 BUT HE HAS LEFT A FINE LEGACY BEHIND FOR ALL COUNTRY MUSIC FANS TO ENJOY.

THIS ALBUM WAS RELEASED IN JANUARY 1980 AND WENT TO NUMBER 1 ON THE COUNTRY MUSIC CHARTS. THE SLEEVE IS GRADED EXCELLENT WITH THE ONLY APPARENT INDICATION OF WEAR IS A SMALL CREASE IN THE BOTTOM LEFT HAND CORNER. THE RECORD IS GRADED NEAR MINT.

TRACK LISTING: Side 1 - There's A Little Bit Of Hank In Me / My Son Calls Another Man Daddy / Moanin' The Blues / A Mansion On The Hill / Mind Your Own Business / I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You). Side 2 - Honky Tonk Blues / I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry / Low Down Blues / I Could Never Be Ashamed Of You / Why Don't You Love Me / You Win Again.

12" VINYL RECORD