Two months after the death of country legend Charley Pride, a special documentary about the artist is making the rounds on PBS.
During Black History Month, PBS is airing “Charley Pride: I’m Just Me,” a film that is part of the “American Masters” series. Pride, who became “the first Black superstar in country music,” died on Dec. 12 at the age of 86 from COVID-19 complications, according to The New York Times.
“I’m Just Me” follows Pride’s rise to fame — everything from his upbringing on a cotton farm in the segregated town of Sledge, Mississippi, to his career as a baseball player with the Negro League to his groundbreaking success in country music, according to a news release sent to the Deseret News.
A trailblazer who eventually entered the country music scene amid the racial divisions of the 1960s, Pride used his earnings from picking cotton to buy his first guitar when he was 14, The New York Times reported. During his 50-plus-year career, Pride earned 29 No. 1 hits, according to Taste of Country.
“I’m Just Me,” which premiered in 2019, includes original interviews with country music stars like Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Marty Stuart and Darius Rucker, according to the news release. Rucker would become the second Black singer to have a No. 1 country hit — more than four decades later, The New York Times reported.
“I’m Just Me” also shows several conversations between Pride and his wife, as well as with a few legendary country artists like Willie Nelson.
“At a time when African-American singers were more notable for R&B hits, Charley Pride followed his passion for country music, overcoming obstacles through determination and raw talent to make a lasting impact on the genre and create a legacy that continues today,” said Michael Kantor, executive producer of “American Masters” in a statement. “We are honored to share the inspiring, and largely untold, story of this barrier-breaking performer with viewers nationwide.”
In Utah, the documentary will air Monday night on PBS at 9 p.m. MT, according to PBSUtah.org. It’ll re-air on Feb. 13 at 1 a.m. MT.