Significant Songwriters

These brief biographies were created for the Country Music Hall of Fame's Songwriting Camp.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum covers a wide range of artists that have influenced country music in some way. DeFord Bailey and Charley Pride are both Hall of Fame inductees who have artifacts featured within the museum galleries.

"Performing is an experience for me that is as humbling as it is energizing." - Charley Pride

This project required database research as well as gallery research. The audience for the biographies are students between the ages of 10-18. Thus, information had to be filtered for appropriateness and summarized in a straightforward, concise manner for presentation purposes.

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DeFord Bailey

DeFord Bailey was a harmonica player who grew up in a musical family in rural Tennessee. While living on the farm, he learned string-band and church music and was inspired by the different environmental sounds of trains and animals. In 1918, he moved to Nashville and began playing jazz, blues, and pop. His musical style was influential in both country and blues music and he became one of the Grand Ole Opry’s most popular performers. DeFord Bailey was inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005.

"I wondered why they all come to see me and not somebody else. That let me know I must be the best. But I never did take it for granted. God gave that talent for His people. That meant everything." - DeFord Bailey

Charley Pride

Charley Pride grew up working on a farm and bought his first guitar at fourteen years old. His early influences were Grand Ole Opry greats like Ernest Tubb, Pee Wee King, Hank Williams, and Roy Acuff. Pride played professional baseball for several years before joining the Army. Price was discovered for his gritty baritone voice by Red Sovine, Red Foley, and Chet Atkins. He produced his first record with RCA Records and became an instant star. Charley Pride was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000.

Charley Pride

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Sources

Aron, Nina Renata. "Charley Pride's music taught listeners that country music was black music, too." Timeline,

https://timeline.com/charley-pride-county-music-was-black-music-too-1c0bff91fa2c. Accessed 10 Oct 2018.

Beck, Ken. "The 'Harmonica Wizard' Bellwood's DeFord Bailey became a superstar on the mouth harp." The Wilson Post, 8 Mar 2018,

https://www.wilsonpost.com/community/bellwood-s-deford-bailey-became-a-superstar-on-the-mouth/article_b53f1ca0-2189-11e8-8fa7-4f45a09696c4.html. Accessed 10 Oct 2018.

"Charley Pride." Adapted from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Encyclopedia of Country Music, Oxford University Press, https://countrymusichalloffame.org/Inductees/InducteeDetail/charley-pride. Accessed 10 Oct 2018.

Pride, Charley. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/charley_pride_280349. Accessed 10 Oct 2018.

Rumble, John W. "DeFord Bailey." The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, https://countrymusichalloffame.org/Inductees/InducteeDetail/deford-bailey. Accessed 10 Oct 2018.