DALLAS, Tex. (WTVA) -- Mississippi-born county music legend Charley Pride died earlier today from complications of coronavirus.

The news was announced in a news release Saturday afternoon.  

Pride was born in Sledge, Mississippi in 1934 and grew from picking cotton in the Delta fields to become the first black superstar in country music.

He was the first black music artist inducted into the County Music Hall of Fame.

Pride felt baseball would get him off the farm and he attempted to make it to the big leagues after spending time in the military.

He worked at a smelting plant in Missouri for a brief period and traveled to Nashville to record a demonstration record in 1963.

Pride signed with RCA records in 1965, but his first hit single "Just Between You and Me" wasn't released until 1967.

When the record went Top 10 on the music charts, Pride quit his job as a smelter and recorded music full time.

From 1967 to 1987, he landed 52 songs in the Top 10, won Grammy Awards and became the top selling artist at RCA.

Pride was also a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

His last live performance was November 11 when he sang "Kiss an Angel Good Morning" at the CMA Awards.

He was presented the lifetime achievement award by the music group that night as well.