December 14, 2020, Issue 735
Remembering Charley Pride
Industry and radio friends and colleagues share their remembrances of Country Music Hall of Famer Charley Pride, who passed over the weekend. • Cumulus’ Brian Philips: When I was PD at KPLX (The Wolf)/Dallas in 1999, I would see him at Las Colinas Golf Club, where he was a member and played all the time. I knew it was Charley, but I was shy. Eventually, I got up the courage to talk to him and tell him his records were some of the first country songs I heard and really appreciated. I also told him he was no friend to the DJ, as most of them were only two minutes long – he could have added one more chorus on the way out. He laughed because he’d heard that a lot from radio people. “Everyone made short songs back then,” he said. “Country stations played 50 songs an hour!” He warmed to the conversation effortlessly, was generous with his time and looked me in the eye. I’m sure he suffered unbearable indignities in his life, but all that felt a million miles away by the time I met him. He was a man of his own creation, living the good life. There was an all-American aura about him – from his life story to the fact there was no show-biz shield, no driver. He had that square-jawed, squared-off athlete’s way about him Charley Pride – that 100,000 watt smile – and a real bounce in his step as he walked away to his car. As he drove off I thought, “Well, that’s why he’s Charley Pride.” • Morris Higham’s Clint Higham: I didn’t know Charley, but I got to be around him and Ronnie Milsap in a dressing room during a CMA Awards show. Ronnie was talking about how Charley gave him his first opening spot on a tour – and Charley was hot as a match at the time. When the tour was over, Ronnie wanted to repay him in some way, but Charley told him, “You don’t owe me anything. Keep passing it on down to the other acts, son.” (continued on page 7)
Chicagoals: WUSN/Chicago’s St. Jude radiothon brings in more than $764,000. Pictured (top, l-r) are the station’s Scotty Kay and St. Jude’s Jennifer Herrera; (middle, l-r) St. Jude’s Kristine Paca and the station’s Marci Braun; (bottom) the station’s Drew Walker.
KYGO’s McFayden: TRL To IRL As newly minted Bonneville KYGO/ Denver morning co-host Brian McFayden (CAT 12/1) wrapped his first week, he put a temporary pause on moving logistics and exploring his new locale to tell Country Aircheck about returning to radio. Those in the age demo that rocked butterfly clips, bandanas, frosted tips and cargo pants might know him as an MTV VJ, the host of MTV’s
Brian McFayden
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