Another four-album set from Charley Pride’s illustrious days with RCA, remastered, the set come from years 1971-1973. With Did You Think To Pray, his first gospel album and a great love of his among them the listener gets to hear the full range of the wonderfully talented Sledge, Mississippi-born and raised award winning act’s music. If anyone got to hear him live at his peak back in the 1970s into the 1980s will, like me wished he had made an album of the songs done by Jim Reeves and, or Kris Kristofferson so thrilling the melodies he used to perform. Guess that is the one that got away.
Pulling from such songwriters as Johnny Duncan, Ben Peters and others the Jack Clement produced albums spawned a handful of country chart toppers hits in “She’s Too Good To Be True”, “It’s Gonna Take A Little Bit Longer”, “A Shoulder To Cry On” (Merle Haggard) and Don’t Fight The Feelings Of Love”. But that is not the end of the story. Far from it with the release steeped with wonderful performances as he gives his own interpretation of Hillman Hall’s ever popular “Pass Me By”, Don Williams “The Shelter Of My Eyes” and Waylon (Jennings) and Willie’s (Nelson) “A Good Hearted Woman” plus a bunch more also worthy of a mention. Pride’s beautiful effortless tones especially were well suited to those rich in a flowing melody as in the case with the gospel album. Songs like “This Highway Leads To Glory”, Albert Brumley’s “I’ll Fly Away” and rafter rattler “The Church In The Wildwood” and with tinklin’ piano and pedal steel accompanying him (plus harmony vocalists) “Lord, Build Me A Cabin In Glory”. All fine inspirational songs suited to Charley's rich tones.
As for the country tunes away from church organ and songs of prayer Pride rattles ‘em off like the farm cat laps up milk as he performs “Sunshiny Day” powerful love ballads “You’re Wanting Me To Stop Loving You” and on flowing like a mountain stream “Back To The Country Roads”. Plus there's “My Love Is Deep My Love Is Wide” and with tempered emotion ”I’m Learning To Love Her”. This as he comes to terms of letting go of an old love and learn to love another as he once loved her, and with typical elevation to his mood and vocal pitch wondrous cut “Tennessee Girl”. Though not as strong as his earlier work in content he sounds good to me.
Maurice Hope