On This Day in 1971, Charley Pride Topped the Country Charts With a Signature Tune That Provided the Recipe for a Happy Marriage

Born in Sledge, Mississippi, Charley Pride smashed through every racial barrier possible to cement his legacy in Nashville. In 1967, he became only the second Black artist to join the Grand Ole Opry. In 2000, he made history as the first Black Artist to gain entry into the Country Museum Hall of Fame. And in between that time, Pride also topped the country music charts in 1969 with “All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)”—the first Black artist to achieve this feat. On this day in 1971, Charley Pride found himself in a by-now familiar position—atop the country singles chart with “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’.”

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According to CMT, the country music charts belonged to Black and female artists in 1971. That year, 30 out of the 52 week were topped by musicians from those demographics. Pride was one of them thanks to “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’,” which would ultimately become his signature song. In addition to nabbing Pride his eighth country No. 1 hit, the song also reached the Adult Contemporary Top 10. Additionally, it rose to No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Charley Pride Sent 30 Songs to the Top of the Charts

“Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” was the lead single off the singer’s 13th studio album, Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs It was just the first in a string of accolades for the record, which spent 16 weeks atop the country albums chart.

Additionally, Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs also earned the Best Male Country Vocal Performance at the 15th Annual Grammy Awards.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1972, Charley Pride Was at No. 1 With His Tenth Chart-Topping Single—a Love Song Almost Too Good To Be True]

Pride spent the last four weeks of 1971 atop the country singles chart with “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin.’” In January 1972, he recorded what would become his next No. 1 single, “It’s Gonna Take a Little Bit Longer.” The song, which led the album A Sunshiny Day with Charley Pride, debuted in May 1972 and spent three weeks at No. 1.

In total, Pride would rack up 30 No. 1 singles throughout his six-decade career. Those chart-toppers included “A Shoulder to Cry On” (1973) and “Someone Loves You Honey” (1979.) He died on Dec. 12, 2020, at age 86 in Dallas.

Featured image by Keith Beaty/Toronto Star via Getty Image