Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 1 9 44 Here are two samples from the book: CHARLEY PRIDE has lived the life of a legend, his prelude to fame stamped with a Montana pedigree. "We spent seven and a half years in Helena, and then two and a half years in Great Falls," said Pride. "We left in 1969." Pride was born March 18, 1938, on a sharecropping cotton farm in Sledge, Mississippi. At age fourteen, Pride purchased a guitar from a Sears Roebuck catalogue and taught himself the riffs he heard on country music radio. Music, however, took a backseat to his dream of becoming the greatest professional baseball player who ever lived. Pride pitched for several minor league teams in the Negro Leagues throughout the mid-1950s before serving two years in the U.S. Army. Following service, he returned to baseball. After three games with the Missoula Timberjacks of the Pioneer League, in 1960, he was released. Dejected, Pride followed a tip that there were a few semipro teams in Helena. Pride was a pitcher and outfielder on the Smelterite team and batted a State Copper league–high .444 in his first season. Real- izing that Helena could turn into a long-term residence, Pride made arrangements for his wife—in 1958, he married Rozene Cohran while playing baseball in Memphis—and young son to join him. Charley and Rozene lived in Helena from 1960 to 1967. ey first rented an apartment on Fifth Street and then at 825 Madison Avenue, apartment no. 1. Rozene worked as a technician at the Hawkins-Lindstrom Clinic in Helena. While living in Helena, Pride earned tryouts for the Califor- nia Angels (1961) and New York Mets (1965), but they declined to sign him. Pride then turned to playing more in the local bars and entertained at a number of ASARCO picnics held at McClellan Creek. "I would work at the smelter, work the swing shift and then play music," said Pride. "I'd work 11-7. Drive. Play Friday. Punch in. Drive. Polson. Philipsburg." After work, Charley played at various saloons and pubs, frequently solo, and other times as part of a four-piece combo called the Night Hawks. e Prides settled at 638 Peosta, a few blocks west of Carroll College. Two of Pride's three children were born in that house (his oldest son was born in Colorado when he was in the army). On March 23, 1962, a son, Dion, entered the world, and later, on April 18, 1965, Angela arrived. Both were born at St. Peter's Hospital. Chet Atkins at RCA heard a demo tape of Pride's and signed the vocalist in 1966. Later that year, Pride's debut single, "e Snakes Crawl at Night," was released. "I always hear a rumor that there was no photograph because I was black," said Pride. "But that's not true. My biggest problem was that promoters were afraid to bring me in. But people didn't care if I was pink. RCA signed me; and all of the bigwigs, they knew I was colored, but unanimously, they decided that we are still going to sign him. ey decided to put the record out and let it speak for itself." Released at the end of 1966, the song "Just Between You and Me" began a streak of successful singles that eventually led Pride into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Only Elvis Presley sold more records for RCA. In the mid-1960s, Pride's engagements and bookings flourished. "I started recording in Helena, but I couldn't get to a TALENT, LIKE GOLD, IS WHERE YOU FIND IT. FOR MORE THAN 125 YEARS, MONTANA HAS SUPPLIED A RICH VEIN OF ENTERTAINMENT AND PERSONALITY. Charlie Pride TALENT, LIKE GOLD, IS WHERE YOU FIND IT.

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