Like You Needed It, One More Reason Why Charley Pride Should Be Your Hero

Last we saw Charley Pride he was the high point of my friend Elvis Mitchell's made-for-HBO documentary The Black List, Vol. 2. But this morning in a brief concert preview, the Edmonton Journal provides further proof, if any is necessary at this late date, of his greatness. Tomorrow, the 71-year-old...

By Robert Wilonsky

June 19, 2009

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Last we saw Charley Pride he was the high point of my friend Elvis Mitchell's made-for-HBO documentary The Black List, Vol. 2. But this morning in a brief concert preview, the Edmonton Journal provides further proof, if any is necessary at this late date, of his greatness. Tomorrow, the 71-year-old longtime North Dallas resident is scheduled to perform at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, a show that is sold out. Which is how Jacqueline Sharp wound up paying $1,210.71 on a scalpers' Web site for a couple of ducats to the show, or 10 times face value. Clearly, a very big fan.

But a couple of months back, Pride heard about this outrage and flew from Dallas up to Canada and went directly to Sharp's workplace to refund her the difference -- $933 out of his own pocket, just like that, with the added promise of dedicating a song to her at tomorrow night's show. Said Pride, "It doesn't feel good, that's why I'm here. I don't think it's right. I wouldn't like paying that much money to see myself." Having played poker with Pride once, I can say this: The man doesn't just throw away money.

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