Charley Pride of Sledge, Miss., the first African-American country music superstar, had his third Top 10 hit this week in 1967. Charley was a pitcher in the Negro League and the lower levels of the minor leagues until his arm gave out. He once lived in Montana, playing for a semi-pro baseball club while working at a lead smelter. His team's manager knew he could sing, so Charley would perform a few tunes before the game to boost attendance. That experience helped him land a record deal. For a time, he was second only to Elvis as the biggest selling artist on the RCA label.
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