Black Music Month: Country Music's Black Past and Present
Cowboy Carter wasn’t Black music’s first foray into the country genre.
Country music has been huge in America for quite some time, but it hasn’t always supported the Black artists within it. Black Americans have a storied history within country music, and Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter has expanded the conversation and motivated people to look into Black country stars of the past and present. Separate from Beyonce’s album, country has produced more Black acts in recent years, with so many of them beginning to break through with distinct sounds and styles. Here, Okayplayer shows love to some of our stars from back then and right now.
Charley Pride
A pioneer and changemaker in every way, Charley Pride is vital to both country music, and black people’s place within it. A former Negro League baseball all-star and Army veteran, Charley came back to his teenage love for the guitar in 1958. Fully entrenching himself into country music, he signed to RCA Records in 1965 and had a hit single in “Just Between You And Me” by 1967. The first Black country superstar, his presence and talent forced crowds to adjust to a Black man shining in a genre that wasn’t accepting of his race. He was the second Black person to ever be a part of The Grand Ol Opry (a legendary country music showcase/radio show) in 1967. After a string of 52 country music top-10 hits and a long and storied career, Charley Pride’s place is etched in the history books.’’
Linda Martell
Linda Martell (aka Thelma Bynem) kicked down doors in country music. After growing up as a gospel and R&B singer, she was convinced to enter the country by her manager William Rayner, and producer Shelby Singleton. Rayner and Singleton were inspired by the then-recent success of Charley Pride and saw Linda Martell as the next step. In 1969, she released her first single, “Color Him Father,” followed by her 1970 debut album Color Me Country, both to modest success. She became the first Black woman to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in 1970, but even with her rising success, had to deal with racist hecklers when she was on the road. A money dispute with Rayner led to Martell leaving her deal entirely and subsequently being blackballed. Martell never got to reach her upper echelons of superstardom, but she lives on through modern Black artists she has inspired, like Rissi Palmer (who named her Apple Music show Color Me Country) and Beyonce, the latter of which brought her to perform spoken word on her Cowboy Carter album.
Darius Rucker
Originally a star in rock music as the lead singer of the group Hootie & The Blowfish in the mid-1990s, Darius Rucker re-introduced himself as a solo country act in 2008. Immediate success followed, as his single “Don't Think I Don’t Think About It” shot to No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs charts and its accompanying album, Learn To Live, went platinum. Rucker never looked back, racking up eleven-times platinum singles like “Wagon Wheel,” and becoming the second black person on the Grand Ole Opry. Darius Rucker is a country music icon and got there by being versatile.
Mickey Guyton
After nearly a decade in Nashville’s country music scene, Mickey Guyton had her breakthrough moment by being true to herself. Her 2020 single “Black Like Me,” which is about the racism she’s faced in her life, broke through and reverberated on streaming platforms, during a very tumultuous political time. Her 2021 debut album, Remember Her Name, was dedicated to Breonna Taylor (and is titled similarly to the #SayHerName racial justice slogan), and Guyton fully embraced her position as a Black woman country singer, who stood up for her people. Having someone in a genre that isn’t historically inclusive, who is willing to take a stand, is very powerful.
Kane Brown
The road from posting covers online to becoming a country music superstar isn’t easy, but Kane Brown made it happen. Breaking barriers as a multi-racial country star who is adept at both classic country and more R&B and rap-influenced offerings, Kane Brown is one of the most recognizable acts on the scene. His 2016 self-titled debut album and his No. 1 Hot Country Songs hit single “What Ifs” with Lauren Alaina set him on a path to stardom. His now diamond follow-up single, “Heaven,” proved that Kane Brown had something special and was here to stay. Now with multiple No. 1 Country albums, platinum plaques, and sold-out tours under his belt, Kane Brown has come a long way, while still having so much more ahead of him.
Shaboozey
As a country artist who has been dropping music since 2014, Shaboozey having his star-turn moment in 2024 is a testament to dedication. Mixing rap and other genres into his interpretation of country music, his knowledge of Black music’s past and present allows him to maneuver into any lane he wishes. His versatility and feel for music led to the chance of a lifetime when Beyonce featured him twice on her Cowboy Carter album (“Spaghetti” with Linda Martell and “Sweet/Honey/Buckiin”). Soon after, his single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” turned into a viral hit, soaring to the top of the Hot Country Songs chart. The song interpolates J-Kwon’s “Tipsy,” which was a millennial party hit. Shaboozey’s album, Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going has also been well received, adding to what has been an incredible year for him.
Tanner Adell
An up-and-comer who took off through the power of social media. Tanner Adell has quickly become a name to watch. Building up her fanbase by releasing singles since 2021, Adell’s more upbeat, R&B/pop adjacent take on country racked up more fans with each passing week. Everything changed when her long-anticipated single, “Buckle Bunny” dropped in 2023, going viral and becoming the title of her debut album in the process. Her buzz even caught the attention of Beyonce, who featured Adell on the Cowboy Carter song “Blackbiird” alongside country standouts Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, and Tierra Kennedy. As she continues to pop up at shows across the country, Tanner Adell’s star continues to rise.
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