‘Charley Pride: I’m Just Me’ premieres
Some true-life stories are hard to believe. They both defy and confirm archetypes in ways that would seem incredible in a fictional character.
“American Masters” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings) offers the 2018 documentary “Charley Pride: I’m Just Me.” A country star who stood out as a black performer in a musical genre largely considered white, Pride continues to elude easy categorization.
The film, narrated by country star Tanya Tucker, tells of his humble birth as the son of a Mississippi sharecropper and his stint as a baseball player in both the Negro leagues and minor leagues.
Segregation could keep the races from sharing schools, sidewalks, restaurants and drinking fountains. But the power of Jim Crow did not reach into the sky, where radio waves brought music of all kinds into every home. Just as Elvis Presley was inspired by the rhythm and blues songs on Memphis stations, Charley Pride was moved by Grand Ole Opry stars, including Ernest Tubb and Roy Acuff.
Pride honed his singing skills in the Army and was signed by record producer Chet Atkins in the 1960s. Pride’s third recording, “Just Between You and Me,” become a hit for RCA.
The film includes interviews with Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker and Marty Stuart, as well as conversations between Pride and his wife, Rozene, and legendary singer/songwriter Willie Nelson.
Pride’s rise to Nashville stardom coincided with a fertile period that saw artists from many genres crossing over into country. Ray Charles’ 1962 album “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music” remains one of his most enduring. Nightclub crooner Dean Martin recorded country albums. The Beatles thought nothing of covering Buck Owens. Bob Dylan cut numerous tracks in Nashville, and The Byrds’ “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” launched a sound that paved the way for The Eagles and a generation of country-rock hybrids.
In another cultural crossover, “I’m Just Me” touches on Pride’s 1976 concert in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Held in the teeth of the violent Troubles, it was heralded by both sides of the conflict.
In addition to navigating a tough music business, Pride has battled with mental illness throughout much of his adult life. He and his wife candidly discuss his bipolar disorder.
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