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Charley Pride shares music from his heart

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I sat in the artist green room at International Country Music Fan Fair between event appearances catching a break from the 25,000 fans who had come to Music City to meet the stars up close and personal. Over the years the chats sitting around the green room included folks such as Kenny Chesney, Paulette Carlson, Neal McCoy and countless others. On one of these breaks, I experienced a  favorite conversation I shared in country music with Charley Pride. He came in and sat down beside me, introduced himself and then spent the next few minutes asking me about my life and career. It was such an honor feeling that this country music icon was interested in my work. I had always been interested and enthused by his. He is one of my favorites of all time.
He is now celebrating more than 50 years as a recording artist. He helped break color barriers by becoming the first black superstar in country music becoming a true living legend. He has sold tens of millions of records and is a three-time GRAMMY® award winner.
He is back with his brand new album, Music In My Heart, which is available now. The project serves as Pride’s first album in more than six years, and is released via Music City Records. The highly anticipated project features 13 new studio recordings that were produced by acclaimed singer/songwriter Billy Yates. Fans can purchase Music In My Heart on Amazon, iTunes and wherever music is sold.
“Charley Pride’s vocals are just as soothing to the soul as a glass of Granny’s tea and those pair of shoes that you always find yourself drawn to…. just like returning to the well,” according to Billboard.
He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Recording Academy® at their 2017 Special Merit Awards in New York City on July 11 where he also made numerous media appearances.
The Country Music Hall of Famer has garnered no less than 36 chart-topping country hits, including “Kiss an Angel Good Morning,” a massive #1 crossover hit that sold over a million singles and helped Pride land the Country Music Association’s “Entertainer of the Year” award in 1971 and the “Top Male Vocalist” awards of 1971 and 1972. A proud member of the Grand Ole Opry, Pride continues to perform concerts worldwide and has toured the United States, Canada, Ireland, The United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand over the last several years.
I encourage you to check out my friend Charley’s newest CD, support his concerts and reach out to him and congratulate him for his lifetime honor. He deserves this and so much more. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to have him take interest in my life. Great man! For more information, visit CharleyPride.com.

50 years of Dolly

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Dolly Parton released her first full-length album, “Hello, I’m Dolly” on Feb. 12, 1967. The album, which debuted on Monument Records, contained Parton’s hits “Dumb Blonde” (written by Curly Putman) and “Something Fishy” (written by Parton). Both singles reached the top twenty on the country singles charts, and the album itself reached #11 on the country albums chart.

“I can’t believe it’s been 50 years since I did my first album,” Parton said. “What a wonderful 50 years it has been. Thanks to my Uncle Bill Owens and Fred Foster for believing in me early on. And thanks to all the fans out there…I hope to have at least another 50 years!”

Produced by Fred Foster, “Hello, I’m Dolly” caught the attention of Porter Wagoner, who ultimately invited Parton to become a member of his band and appear on his popular weekly television show. These appearances led to Parton’s rise to superstardom and she became a bonafide household name.

The album contained Parton’s versions of three songs she wrote that had already been hits for other artists: “Put it Off Until Tomorrow” (Bill Phillips), “Fuel to the Flame” (Skeeter Davis), and “I’m in No Condition” which charted by Hank Williams Jr.

Now, in 2017, her collaboration with Pentatonix on “Jolene,” was awarded a Grammy in the Country Duo/Group Performance category, marking her eighth win. The Recording Academy inducted Parton’s self-penned hit JOLENE into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

“Oh my Lord I am so excited to have won the Grammy with Pentatonix on my old song Jolene,” she said. “I am so happy and am so very proud of Pentatonix. The song is one of my favorites. Thanks to the Grammys, but most importantly thanks to all the fans. I love you all.”

The award-winning collaboration between Pentatonix and Parton happened through a partnership with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, which has enjoyed success with both acts in the past with exclusive editions of albums from each. In Parton’s case, the partnership stretches back to her 2009 “Backwoods Barbie Collector’s Edition” project, which was followed by the release of “An Evening With…Dolly” and became the first Gold album-ever certified by the RIAA for Cracker Barrel Music. That relationship has continued with her latest Dolly Records / RCA Records release Pure & Simple. Released in the summer of 2016, the album – which netted Dolly her first chart-topping album since 1991 – was released in a deluxe Cracker Barrel-exclusive edition that featured live performances of her classic hits “9 To 5” and “Jolene” from the Glastonbury Festival, along with a 48-page ZinePak magazine filled with photos and interviews highlighting memorable stories from Parton. The collaboration is not part of any of the packages.

“Cracker Barrel is thrilled to have brought these two extraordinary talents together, Dolly Parton and Pentatonix, as part of our Spotlight Music Program for the exclusive collaboration of “Jolene.” We share in the celebration of their GRAMMY Award win as they are both a special part of the Cracker Barrel family,” said Don Hoffman, VP of Marketing at Cracker Barrel.

CTK Management CEO Danny Nozell said, “The collaborative video produced by Cracker Barrel between Pentatonix and Dolly has been viewed over 22 million times and has now won a Grammy. Dolly proves, once again, that she is making music that the fans will respond to.”

Parton’s 2016’s Pure & Simple North American Tour was the highest grossing tour of her career, performing over 60 shows.

To learn more about this American icon, visit www.DollyParton.com. To purchase a download of Jolene, visit Amazon at smarturl.it/PTXJoleneAmz.