Choices

At 72 years old, Charley Pride hasn’t lost a single step. His voice is still that marvelous wonder it was back in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s when he first emerged as one of country music’s most positive and inspirational singers. The opening tack, “America the Great,” could be heard as a tad jingoistic, but Pride uses it as an anthem of self-reflection. His first all-new record since 2003’s Comfort In Her Wings, Choices is comfort food for the soul. Pride hasn’t seen a need to alter his solid approach. The productions remain clean and clear and his songwriters are the same guys who wrote such classics as “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” and “Crystal Chandeliers.” So tunes such as “Except for You” and “The Choices She Made” sound tailored to Pride’s smooth flow. Small-town tales are at the heart of “Hickory Hollow Times and Country News” and “Guntersville Gazette.” Charley’s son Dion co-wrote “I Miss My Home.” “Maybe Love Will Save the Day” features the sweeping pedal steel that goes back to the classic Charley Pride sound. With nothing to prove, Pride makes the music he clearly loves.