Chords for TRIBUTE TO CHARLEY PRIDE. BUCK OWENS presents the award.

_ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _ [N] _
Welcome back.
We're about to present the prestigious Pioneer Award.
And this year the trophy has [Ab] been redesigned and sculpted by [E] Herb Mignery.
The statue depicts a country music entertainer.
And this year's Pioneer Award honoree [Abm] defines the word [Bm] pioneer.
And to explain this statement and present the award,
here's our 1989 Pioneer Award recipient, the [Bb] legendary Buck Owens.
[C] _ _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ [N] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ Thank you.
_ _ _ Thank you.
Boy, I'm glad to be anywhere at my age, I'll tell you that.
You [C] know, giving the Pioneer Award to this particular honoree tonight
is going to be real easy for me.
Because I like him as a man, I like his singing as an artist.
He commands my respect and the respect of millions of country music fans.
While on RCA [Ab] Records he was second only to Elvis Presley in total sales.
That's one more reason he's earned the title of Pioneer.
And that'll become clear to you as we tell his story.
[E] Watch this.
_ It's an angel's [B] song.
_ [A] _ _ _ _ [E]
Charlie Pryde grew up in Kletz, Mississippi.
Taught himself to play the guitar [A] at the age of 14
and then went on to a [E] professional baseball career,
which he was forced to [B] abandon because of injuries.
But [A] baseball's loss was [E] music's gain when it became clear
that Charlie Pryde had a great natural country sound.
[C] You know, on his way back home to [Eb] Rosene and the kids
[N] in Missoula, Montana, after a tryout with the New York Mets,
_ Charlie stopped in Nashville one day and he auditioned for manager Jack Johnson.
You were too good to be true and I thought that somebody had hired an imitator or something.
And that's the reason I asked you after you sang for me,
after you sang for me rather, to sing in your natural voice.
But you told me this is my natural voice.
I really thought it was somebody playing a prank on me.
_ You know, well, Jack became Charlie's manager
and Chad Atkins signed him to an RCA recording contract
and in the late 60s, his hits like these started to appear.
[Gb] Just between you [B] and me
_ [Db] I'm not sure about it
[E] He wore a roll collider
Well, he never got a kiss
He wore [A] a roll collider
He don't know about him
[E] Isn't any wonder
That his face is red
I _ _ _ [E] _
_ _ [Dbm] can't [E] believe
That [B] you stopped loving [A] _ _ me _
_ _ _ _ [Ab] _ _ _ _
[N] Merle Haggard and I were doing a show up in Detroit
and we was with some other people
and Charlie made his first big concert with us that day
and he came out on stage and the audience, you know,
they didn't know what to think.
But to break the ice, to Charlie's credit, he says,
Ladies and gentlemen, I realize this is a little unusual
coming out here like this wearing this permanent suntan. _ _
And [Gb] they laughed and with each song,
the applause grew until it was an ovation.
And throughout the 70s, it was a scene that happened again and again,
hit after hit.
[D] Does anybody go [G] and understand and talk
[A] I'll be there to slap [D] your soul
_ _ [F] _ But no [Dm] thank you
I'll [C] believe in [F] the Lord _
[D] Today [A] and every day
I'm [G] just me
_ _ [D] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [N] _ _ _ [C] Despite his huge success,
Charlie always found time and energy to lend a helping hand
to new young artists like Ronnie Millsap, James Fricky,
and more recently, Neal McCoy.
[B] We were meant to be [Gbm] together
[A] There are no doubts [E] about it
_ _ But Charlie, as you well know, [E] you've been a big inspiration to me
a long time, I won't say how many years, but a long time ago.
You got me started in country music, [A] you gave me my first break,
and you've been in my corner ever since then.
And [Gb] I couldn't have done any of this without you [E] and Rosene,
and now that [A] I finally got me a big first hit,
[E] I just want to say that [B] I owe you all my success,
and I'm glad that I got to be [Gb] here tonight and congratulate you in [Gbm] person.
Thank you very much. _
[G] Charlie, from the history of country music as written,
I think one of the things I'll be, one of the most important things I'll be remembered for
is signing you to a record label, and I'm proud of that.
_ [Ab] _ You know, when I [Bb] broke into country music, I was considered a rebel.
Well, Charlie, [Gb] if I was a rebel, I guess you're a full-blown revolutionary.
And the way you did it was [B] with your pure country sound
and your natural talent, warmth, [Bb] and humor.
And nothing could be more natural [B] or right than you receiving the [Bb] Pioneer Award.
You define the word, pioneer.
Congratulations and best [N] wishes.
_ Charlie, I want to congratulate you.
You're very deserving.
And there's just one thing I'd like to ask you to do for me.
And that when you accept this award, show it in your real voice. _ _ _ _ _
Ladies and gentlemen, Charlie Pryor.
[E] Go.
_ [B] _
_ _ [A] _ _ _ _ [E] _ _
He's gonna give you [B] applause.
_ [A] Every time you're there, I'll hear you.
[E] _ _ _ He's gonna give you [B] applause.
_ [A] _ _ _ _ _ [E] _ _
_ _ _ [B] _ _ _ [A] _ _
_ [E] _ _ _ [N] _ Thank you. _
_ _ Thank you so much.
I, _ thank you.
[G] But I want to say something.
Don't applaud all night.
I want to say_ _
_ _ Thank you so very much.
[N] I want to say, first of all, it's wonderful to be here.
To my wife, Rosene, for so many years she's been with me.
And to Buck, I mean, you brought up so many memories.
I mean, Great Falls and all.
There's so many people I'd like to thank.
I just saw Chad mention _ _ something on the tube just a minute ago.
I didn't hear it all.
He was the man that got me on RCA.
And to him and all of the people I don't have time to thank up here.
[Gb] That was involved in helping me [Fm] to achieve [Gb] all of that.
[F] I have been blessed to be able to achieve and everything.
And to the Academy here, this is my first award I ever got here.
And I want to say, [D] I'm not going to ever forget it.
Thank you so [N] much.
God bless.
Thank you.
[E] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _
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