Danielia Cotton Honors Charley Pride With 'Kiss An Angel Good Mornin' Cover

(One In A Million Media) Continuing to build anticipation for the upcoming tribute EP, Charley's Pride: Songs from a Black Cowboy Vol. I, Americana/Soul/Rock artist, Danielia Cotton, releases her version of Charley Pride's biggest hit, "Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'."

The first single from the project, "Roll On Mississippi," has been lodged on the Americana charts since its release on March 18th (Pride's birthday), and now, "Kiss An Angel Good Morning'," is poised to join it.

"Charley Pride picked seemingly simple tunes, yet they all had underlying messages that spoke to everyday life for the listeners," Cotton says about country music's first Black superstar. "After one listen, I knew I could find a way in and make it mine." Of this hit, written by Ben Peters, Cotton continues, "The lyric, 'Kiss an angel good mornin', and love 'em like the devil when you get back home,' speaks to the dichotomy of a woman with respect to the parts of herself she displays within her relationship to keep things fresh and new. The playfulness of the track musically and vocally reflects this, while the hook is infectious as a summer hit you play to let your hair down."

Cotton considers the forthcoming record a tribute not just to one of her musical idols but also to her family, especially her grandparents. "My grandfather, or 'Pop-pop' as I called him, was an extraordinary man and an incredibly memorable male figure in my life, having never met my father," Cotton says. "He was a quiet, humble, closeted country music fan. Being the type not to hide things about himself, I found it quite interesting that he liked Charley Pride and kept it on the down low." Just as Pride forged a path as a Black artist in a predominately white world of country music, Cotton's grandfather worked to become a respected and loved figure in a small town with only a handful of Black residents, where Cotton and her family, including her 103-year-old grandmother, still reside.

The timing for the release of "Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'," couldn't be better, as the song will be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and honored at the Grammy Museum's inaugural Grammy Hall of Fame Gala and concert on May 21, 2024, a serendipitous fact that Cotton was not aware of when planning her release.

Produced by Cotton and Grammy-nominee Marc Copely (Buddy Miller) and also featuring Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors), Andy Hess (Gov't Mule, Black Crowes), and Brian Mitchell (Levon Helm & The Midnight Ramble, Bob Dylan, BB King, Dolly Parton), Cotton reimagines Prides' hits with a fresh, modern approach. Cotton is independently releasing Charley's Pride: Songs from a Black Cowboy Vol. I, and is hosting a special event as part of an ongoing crowdfunding campaign.

On May 16th, 2024, Cotton will be joined by Copely, Hess, and Rodney Hayward (Gavin DeGraw, Regina Spektor, Avril Lavigne) for two performances at NYC's Carroll Place. Attendees will also have the chance to bid on one-of-a-kind auction items such as a private concert and autographed guitar. Every ticket holder becomes a donor, part of a collective grassroots effort supporting the upcoming record.

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