Charley Pride was an American singer, guitarist and professional baseball player. At the time of his death, his net worth was estimated at $40 million.
One of the greatest African-American singers of all time and one of only three African-American members of the Grand Ole Opry to ever grace the music industry.
He earned his wealth through his music career and other ventures. Throughout his career until his death in 2020, Pride was a versatile man who knew how to invest and reap dividends.
Who is Charley Pride?
Charley Frank Pride was born on March 18, 1934, in Sledge, Mississippi, United States. His father originally wanted to name him Charl, but a typo on his birth certificate resulted in his real name being Charley.
Charley was the fourth of eleven children born to sharecroppers. He had two brothers and eight sisters. His older brother Mark Pride played for a time in the Negro Baseball League before changing careers and entering the service.
At the age of 14, Pride taught himself to play guitar after his mother bought him his first guitar. He has been interested in music since childhood but always wanted to become a professional baseball player.
Pride began pitching for the Memphis Red Sox of the Negro American League in 1952 to fulfill his childhood dream of playing baseball professionally. A year later, in 1953, he signed with the minor league Boise Yankees.
Pride returned to the Negro Leagues later that season to play with the Louisville Clippers and then the Birmingham Black Barons. After playing for several other minor league teams, Pride was drafted into the United States Army in 1956.
He continued to play baseball while stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. After his release in 1958, Pride returned to his former team, the Memphis Red Sox. In 1960, he played briefly for the Missoula Timberjacks.
While living in Montana, Pride performed at local venues, alone and with a four-piece band called the Night Hawks. With the help of RCA Victor producer Chet Atkins, Pride quickly secured a deal with the label. In 1966, he released his first RCA Victor single, “The Snakes Crawl at Night”.
This was followed by the single “Before I Met You”. None of the songs entered the charts. Pride had its commercial breakthrough with its third single “Just Between You and Me”, which entered the country charts in 1967.
In 1974, Pride sang the national anthem before Super Bowl VIII. Later, during the 1980 World Series, he sang the national anthem before the sixth and final game, which became the most-watched game in World Series history.
Pride returned to the World Series in 2010 to sing the national anthem before the fifth and final game. In 2016, he was chosen as one of 30 artists to sing on the mashup track “Forever Country.” The following year, Pride released the album Music in My Heart.
Charley Pride was married to Rozene, a woman he met while playing baseball in Memphis. The couple married in 1956. They raised three children. sons Dion and Kraig and a daughter Angela. Pride had a fourth child, Tyler, out of his marriage when he had an affair with a flight attendant.
On December 12, 2020, Pride died in Dallas from complications of COVID-19.
How many houses and cars does Charley Pride own?
Charley Pride lived in an eight-bedroom mansion in Dallas that he built with his wife in 1975. It is not known how many cars he owned, but he sometimes walked away with real gold in his 1980 Oldsmobile Stuts from worth a million dollars.
How much does Charley Pride earn per year?
Details of how much he earned each year are not made public. A net worth of $40 million does justice to this and gives an insight into how much he earned per year.
What investments does Charley Pride have?
Among other strategic investments, Pride has also invested in real estate.
How many sponsorship deals does Charley Pride have?
There is no information about any endorsement deals he has signed.
How many philanthropies has Charley Pride supported?
According to looktothestars.org, Pride was only involved with one foundation, the TJ Martell Foundation.
How many businesses does Charley Pride own?
Charley Pride was a successful businessman as well as a singer and professional baseball player. He was part owner of the Texas Rangers, a professional baseball team in Dallas. He owned four radio stations as well as the Charley Pride Theater in Branson. Pride also owned a production company, a publishing company and The Pride Group.