Li Popular Music in American Culture UNIT THREE Lesson 07: "Black" Country & "White" Blues It's NOT a Black and White Issue! ‘As we leamed in our Blues Unit, it would be a misconception to label the "Blues" music as a music performed or preferred by “black” Americans; likewise, it would be a misconception to label “Country” music as a music performed or preferred by “white” Americans. Charley Pride (Sledge, MS, 1938; currently living in Dallas, TX) Charley Pride was America's first black superstar of Country music Despite the fact that his first record cover (and Here's @ chance forsome “extra cedit" Weesnhesr its associated promotional campaign by the evil Charley talk sbout how it mighthave Besnwhen sn | music industry) concealed his face, white unsuspecting white audience saw Pride sing for the Fist ; fine asses (ites TFA‘~eaeio we, patemea | audiences were fascinated by Pride's sound . (e5 | recall) at a live show in Columbus, Ohio. It's - and still continued to buy his records even after available on a CD. Find it, and you'll be a happy they discovered that he was a "Negro." camper. After all, he sounds "white"! See what YOU think in this 1969 recording of "Is Anybody Going to _ | Thanifully, et this point in our study, you immediately San Antone?" recognize the absurdity of such e statement! Earlier, we spoke about another great Country star for whom music was a second career choice ~ Roy Acuff. It was the same for Charley Pride. Pride began to focus on a baseball career as early as age 16; he would simply take his guitar along to entertain the boys on the bus. Interestingly encugh, there was NO color segregaticn at beginning of professional baseball (sort of lite “music,” where: we don't care if the guy is tinted meuve and has @ unicorn — as long as he can play!) organized segregation began in the 18905, with the enactment of Jim Crow louie ~ designed to legelly enforce = seperation cf the races By end of World War, “blac” besebsll became the main entertainment cf urban blacks — with such teams as the Atlanta Black Crsevare, the Birmingham Blast Serons, the Boston Slack Sox, and the New Yere Blast Yantees The spor was hesvily advanced by the formation of such groups as the Negro National League, the Negro America League, and the American Negro League. These leagues became obsolete when, in 1947, Jadiie Robinson was hired on by the Brootl yn Dodgers (now the "Los Angeles” Dodgers) and, despite considerable sbuse, vss even named "Rooli= of the Yesr” youre & “sperts nut you can setually buy team memorabilia stthe Negro Lesque Stove, The lest surviving "Negro" team was the Indianseolis Clowns, playing into ihe 1970s, In the later years, the team played as a "comic baseball team as a counterpart io the "comic" bestetball team, the Harlem Globetrotters. Many of the grest spors figures of cur time played on these comedy teams, including Hank Agron ~ the baseball power-itier \who surpassed the home nun recotd of “The Grect Bambino'/"The Sultan of Suet! Babe Ruth, and “Wilt the iil Chemberizin ~ one of the grestest basletoall player cf all fime whe stares with Amsle Senwersenagner in MConsn the Destroyer (also staring Playboy modelsingeractress Grace Jones) and who claimed in his A View from Above to have had sex with 20,000 women [Soviks note: Wikipedia incomecily csloulates this to be °1.2" women per day. The "on-duty" time between Wilts 15th ‘pathic in 1351 and thio Taandination OF the book in 1307 wae 40 passa x 965 = 14000 days. 00 Ueve io Garnpenaato ton.[Sovit's nate: Wikipedia incorecily calculates this to be "1.2" women per day. The "on-duty" time between Wilts 15th birthday in 1851 and the publication of the book in 1881 was 40 yearsx 365 = 14,600 days - 60 days te compensate for the “loss of time” between the June publication of his book and Wilts August birthday = 14.640 true “on the job" days = his claim of "20,000" women ="1,375" women per day... . give or take) After a stint in the army, Pride moved to Helena, Montana in order to play minor league ball while supporting himself by doing construction work. Here. in Helena, Pride got his “professional” start in the music business. playing at a bar Dont confuse Helena, MONTANA with Helena, ARKANSAS — home of the "King Biscuit Flour Hour” And, from there, in 1993 Charley Pride became the first black American invited to join Grand Old Opry. And just because | love you, here's one more from Charley Pride (one of my favorites), [UPLOAD f "Burgers and Fries] END