Rich was born in Colt, Arkansas, to rural cotton farmers. He graduated from Consolidated High School in Forrest City, where he played saxophone in the band. He was strongly influenced by his parents, who were members of the Landmark Missionary Baptist Church; his mother, Helen Rich, played piano in church and his father sang in gospel quartets.
A black sharecropper on the family land named C. J. Allen taught Rich blues piano. He enrolled at Arkansas State College on a football scholarship and then after an injury, transferred to the University of Arkansas as a music major. He left after one semester to join the United States Air Force in 1953.
Who was Charlie Rich’s wife?
Margaret Ann Greene is the wife of Charlie Rich. She was an American songwriter. She was born on December 15, 1933, in Forrest City, Arkansas, United States, and passed away on July 22, 2010, in Germantown, Tennessee, United States.
Rich married Margaret Ann Greene in 1952 and where blessed with four children namely Jack Rich, Laurie Rich, Rene Rich, and Allan Rich. While stationed in Enid, Oklahoma, he formed “the Velvetones”, playing jazz and blues and featuring his wife on vocals. When he left the military in 1956, the couple returned to the West Memphis area to farm 500 acres. He also began performing in clubs around the Memphis area, playing both jazz and R&B, and began writing his material.
Source: Ghanafuo.com
