Charley Pride was honored with a new television special, CMT GIANTS: Charley Pride, which premiered on CMT on Wednesday, Aug. 25. The special featured performances by a number of country stars including Alan Jackson, who sang Pride’s 1979 hit “Where Do I Put Her Memory?”
“Where Do I Put Her Memory?” was written by Jim Weatherly and was released in February 1979 as the third single from Pride’s album Burgers and Fries/When I Stop Leaving (I’ll Be Gone). The song became Pride’s 21st number one hit on the country chart and spent a total of ten weeks on the chart.
During the special, Jackson called Pride “one of the nicest, most genuine artists” he had ever met. “I loved Charley Pride. He was one of my heroes,” Jackson shared. “He was one of the sweetest and most sincere guys that made me feel so welcomed into country music back in my young days and I’m so proud to do this song for him tonight.” Jackson added, “He loved real country music and songs that said things he wanted to say and reminded him of where he came from.”
CMT Giants: Charley Pride also featured performances by Darius Rucker, Pride’s son Dion Pride, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Gladys Knight, Jimmie Allen, Lee Ann Womack, Luke Combs featuring Robert Randolph + Reyna Roberts, Mickey Guyton and Wynonna. Special guests included Neal McCoy, Nolan Ryan, Reba, Ronnie Milsap and Pride’s wife, Rozene Pride.
Pride died at age 86 due to COVID-19 complications in December 2020. He was country music’s first Black superstar, earning 29 No. 1 songs, selling over 70 million records and winning numerous awards, including multiple Grammys. He was named CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1971 and Male Vocalist of the Year in 1971 and 1972, becoming the first Black man to host the annual event when he did so alongside Glen Campbell in 1975. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1993 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2017, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Recording Academy and was given the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2020 CMA Awards.
CMT Giants: Charley Pride will air again in an encore performance on Sunday, Aug. 29 at 12 on CMT.