Ronnie Milsap

Ronnie Milsap, an American country music singer and pianist, has had an enduring career that has influenced the genre with his distinctive blend of country and pop. Born on January 16, 1943, in Robbinsville, North Carolina, Milsap has been blind since birth but never let this obstacle deter his musical aspirations, and he went on to become one of the most successful country artists of the 1970s and 1980s.

One captivating story from Milsap's career is his unexpected introduction to the world of country music. Initially, Milsap was more drawn to R&B and pop, but everything changed when he met Charley Pride, a country superstar and one of the few African-American musicians in the genre at the time. Pride was so impressed with Milsap's talent that he urged him to consider shifting to country music. Milsap took Pride's advice to heart, and his subsequent switch to country ultimately led to a remarkable career that included forty No.1 country hits and several Grammy Awards. This life-altering encounter with Charley Pride highlights Milsap's versatility as an artist and his willingness to embrace new directions in his music, leading to his extraordinary success in the country music realm.