Sol Pride

Sol Pride plays an original, energetic, positively messaged blend of reggae, funk and jam. Based in Fort Collins, CO and touring throughout the western US, songwriter, guitarist and frontman Carlton Pride has been deeply immersed in the music scene his entire life as the eldest son of the iconic Charley Pride. Carlton strayed far from his father's genre after discovering reggae. Carlton left Dallas in 1995 for San Marcos, TX and started his first project One. In 1996 the band became Zion, touring the US and skyrocketing to headline the Bob Marley Festival from 1996 to 2003. In 2000 they traveled to Jamaica to record the What You Need album under the new name Mighty Zion with Ruff Stuff Records at Bob Marley's Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston. Produced by Clive Hunt (Peter Tosh, Alpha Blondy, Culture) and featuring Bob Marley's horn section, while blessed with appearances from the Bunny Wailer, Burning Spear, Culture and Alpha Blondy bands. This session also included a historic guest appearance by Charley Pride in an instantly classic father/son reggae version of Charley's No. 1 hit single Kiss An Angel Good Morning. Carlton has shared the stage with The Wailers, Black Uhuru, Culture, Yellowman, and The String Cheese Incident among many others. Carlton Pride and Mighty Zion were the first reggae band to play the Grand Ole Opry. In 2013 Carlton moved to Fort Collins, CO and quickly assembled a new trio still under the name Carlton Pride and Mighty Zion, with Carl Alexander on bass and Robbie Linder on drums. In 2014 Brandon Vigil joined in on saxophone and the band continued playing the local scene and touring, opening up for acts such as Steel Pulse, The Wailers and Gary Clark, Jr. After several personnel changes over the years, and another name change to Sol Pride along the way, today's lineup consists of Carl Alexander on bass, Brandon Vigil on sax, Oscar Dezoto on drums, Sky often sitting in on percussion, and of course Carlton Pride on guitar, lead vocals and dancing.