Black Americans & Country Music
“The following guest piece, created in honor of Black History Month, was written by my friend, Doctor Wilson, whose contribution I respect and admire.”
Black Americans with African ancestry have had an important presence in what is now the United States of America for over 400 years. Yet, there is still a faction of Americans, with a much shorter ancestral history, who want to define certain aspects of our nation’s collective culture outside the realm of African Americans, and one example is country music.
Beyoncé, a Texan born singer-songwriter, is the most awarded female singer of all time, having sold over 200 million records worldwide (1), in fact, she currently holds the No. 1 country song on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, making her the first Black woman artist to reach this status (2). Even with these accolades, select individuals question her eligibility or authenticity for producing country music.
An example of criticism leveled at Beyonce’s country music production is found in John Schneider’s recent One America News interview, wherein the former television star, best known for his role on the Southern based, The Dukes of Hazard, a show often recognized for its prominent display of the confederate flag atop the protagonists’ car, tells the conservative media outlet, “…Beyoncé singing country music is like a dog making its mark on every tree.” Why?
Beyonce’s Texas Hold ‘Em single plays tribute to the banjo with a solo from Rhiannon Giddens, a founding member of the country, blues, and old-time music band the Carolina Chocolate Drops, where she was the lead singer, fiddle player, and banjo player. Indeed, the banjo, played on Beyoncé’s current No. 1 single, Texas Hold ‘Em, is a principal instrument in country music that originated in Africa, with various versions identified as early as the 16th century.
Enslaved Africans, forced from their homelands, brought the memories of their handmade string instrument traditions, now collectively known as African lutes, which evolved into the modern banjo (3). So, how could one not define this music as country? It is. Which means country music is also Black American music. The reality is Black culture is a rich component of every facet of American culture (4).
Is this an attempt to disregard Black people’s contributions to country music? If so, we would need to neglect the country music contributions from Ray Charles, Charley Pride, Darius Rucker, Aaron Neville, Mickey Guyton, and Reyna Roberts, just to name a few.
The Queens of Pop: Viva La Diva. August 6, 2021. BBC Two.
Boykin, Keith. (2024). Why Does Everything Have to Be about Race. Bold Type Books