Excellent feedback everyone, but sadly all these years and absolutely NOTHING, has changed when it comes to the Country Music genre.
Case in point, singers like Rissi Palmer, Carl Ray, Cowboy Troy and others who've loved this kind of music all their lives, have 'yet' to perform "live" on even one CMA or any other country music show, where the "world" can finally get a chance to 'see and hear' them.
We got to see and hear Ms. Palmer perform live at Baruch College, packed house by the way with "whites and blacks", and she made us feel like a part of her family. But when you see her videos on YouTube(R) and read the comments, the oozing racist comments (a few comments even stated they'd do everything they could to continally keep blacks out) make your heart sink.
What a sad and tragic commentary on our society, and NO it should not be a 'race' thing but what will change it for good?? Perhaps if MORE BLACKS and WHITES who enjoyed these black artists voice their opinions to the 'CMA' things would finally change. I hope it happens in my life time.
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Recent Underplayed Talent by: Schmuelly
Rissi Palmer “Country Girl” (2007)
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James Allen by: Ted Johnson
What about James Allen from Little Rock,ARK. In the early 70's, his country hits were,, Love is, and, Haven't You Heard.
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Have you forgotten Charlie Pride? by: garnetrose26
Blacks have always influenced country music. Just as they influenced pop music from the very beginning. Maybe some of you were not around in the 1960's when the great Charlie Pride was singing. He had many songs at the top of the country charts at that time. KISS AN ANGEL GOOD MORNING, DOES MY RING HURT YOUR FINGER, and JUST BETWEEN YOU AND ME won him the grammy in 1967.
In 1967, he became the first black performer to appear at the Grand Ole Opry since harmonica player DeFord Bailey in 1925.[9] He also appeared in 1967 on the American Broadcasting Company's "The Lawrence Welk Show".[10]
Between 1969 and 1971 Pride had eight single records that simultaneously reached number one on the US Country Hit Parade and also charted on the US Pop Hit Parade charts: "All I Have to Offer You Is Me", "I'm So Afraid of Losing You Again", "I Can't Believe That You've Stopped Lovin' Me", "I'd Rather Love You", "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone?", "I Wonder Could I Live There Anymore?", "I'm Just Me", and "Kiss an Angel Good Morning". The pop success of these songs reflected the country/pop crossover sound that was reaching Country music in the 1960s and early 1970s, known as "Countrypolitan".
It was not that blacks were not welcome on the country scene. They simoply chose not to sing that type of music.
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Sum of Squares by: Anonymous
Check out the song "From Honeymoon to Honey-Do" by Sum of Squares. Now there's some good country music!!!
www.myspace.com/SumofSquares is the site.
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Frankie Staton by: Robert
She was the president of the BCMA (Black Country Music Association), but it disbanded several years after the video (see above - 1999) was produced.
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Um Darius Rucker Anyone? by: Anonymous
What about Darius Rucker? Now there is a very awesome country artist! Black artists can sing anything well. They just may not to choose country. If they like or more influenced by other forms of music like Rap, Gospel, R&B etc., so what? We'll have to just appreciate the ones that sing country and stop making a race issue out of it!
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Don't fall into the popular trap by: Anonymous
I'm white (and found this blog while looking for something else), but let me say this: Black Music (& its musicians) have influenced country from the beginning. Everything from vocal stylings to genres to overall influence (blacks even inspired victorian-era whites to use expression in their music. To belt it from the soul. This, during a time when the Celtic/Appalachian/S. Folk vocal stylings were toned down...lest it be too dramatic; lest it be too "ungodly" or "socially improper." Of course, there has been a cross pollonization, of white & black music in the south For years(blacks were influenced by the Improvinizational hymns of Isaac Watts, and whites were influenced by the african spirituals/hollers). In later years, whites incorporated blues, and other strains from black popular music (Jazz, Ragtime), while blacks incorporated strains from white popular music (including parlor/standards/vaudeville). Both were influenced by "Hawaiin" bands, too. The advent of "race" & "hillbilly" labels were what really put the nail in the coffin of black fiddlers, & buck/howdown music, but whites & blacks still traded licks & stylings.
Unfortunately, I think that the prejudice that did (and still does) pervade southern white thinking (to some extent) has kept more blacks out of country music.
I will also say, that (because blacks already have a hard time breaking into the industry) that you have to be original. The regurgitated studio pop-esque southern rockish sound that pervades country nowadays, along with the bubble gum crap sound that other country musicians have, is/has destroyed the genre. This done by white musicians. No one will want to hear that any more from a black musician than a white one. What we need nowadays are innovators to rescue the dying genre. We need the guitar slingers, we need different avenues of production, we need the individual vocal stylings; the note bending. Having a southern accent does not automatically equate to good country; Record sales don't = talent, skills.
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Trying to launch a Country singer/song-writer career. by: BlackCowboy
I'm attempting to break into Country music as a
singer/song-writer.As I'm said to possess a
handsome black cowboy's looks and steer wrestler's or "bull-dogger's"-I'm 5-9,218 lb.-would I have a better or worse chance of making it than a less-telegenic black dude?
AlsoI tentatively plan to move to Dallas or Houston in 2010 or '11-I'm a Windsor,Ont.,Can.native and resident.With which Texas Country big-wigs must I
begin to familiarize myself so I might launch my career?
Finally,is there someone on this thread who'd ap-
praise my original Country lyrics,which span the gamut from Tradition Country to cowboy songs to
rockabilly to ballads to judge my song-writing skills?
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black country singers by: Anonymous
What ever happened to Linda Martell? Plantation Records 1969 . She is actually the First Black Lady of country music. Remember: Color Him Father : From the Album Color me Country .Any body have any info ?
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our ex president by: josh
our ex president jimmy c brought up the race issue on tv, made me sick.
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OH PLEASE by: Anonymous
If people would quit worrying about using racial cards, and more about talent, we would have more black country singers. Here's something to think about, how many black people actually like country? Thanks for trying to use the racial card Kanya!!
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NOT THERE YET by: KOUNTRYMYWAY1
Mr Kurt Paul, I will agree with you somewhat, but I would still say, that it's much harder for an African American to get into the country industry, than it is for some others, I would like to let you listen to some of my songs, and would like your ernest opinion. I think, no, I know that some of mine are better than some that I have heard getting air time. I think if CMA would not ask for a photo with your Bio, more Blacks would be accepted based on their Musical Talent, and not be turned off by CMA after seeing a person of Color.
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Lets Get More Afro Americans In Country Music by: Kurt Paul
It is now time to get more Afro Americans in Country Music. There are White Lawyers and Agents who will back afro americans if they know they have the talent. I am white but a good musician is a good musician no matter what our race is. There are white performers in Blues now for a long time a Afro American Peformers Genre. We have a Afro american President baral Obama. Lets do what President Obama said in the campaign Yes We Can Yes We Can Perform Country Music. I found a Stony Edwards Vinyl Album and I Transfered it to CD. I am a Classic Country DJ on a Caommunity non profit Station here in champaign,Illinois. Stony Edwards along with Charley Pride will get air play. Yes we can.
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FEELING ALONE by: KOUNTRYMYWAY1
I feel like I'm alone knocking on the Country music's door trying to get someone to open, I know someone is home, but just not answering the dog gone door.
I want the world to hear my music, CMA, give this old Country Boy a break.
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Black country Star Gennie Ruth Cheatham by: Anonymous
Great singer and musician.
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African American Country Superstar Gennie Ruth Cheatham Singing at Workshop by: Peg
Gennie Ruth sang at the Barbara Cloyd Songwriters workshop and sang. She is a great singer. Her work is excellent and I am pulling for her.
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Oh and.. by: Gothic Country Fan
Neal Mccoy is NOT black. He is Filipino and White.
And if I forgot to mention Mcdonald Craig bit i think someone already did.
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Black Country Artist by: Gothic Country Fan
Deford Bailey was a harmonica player..that toured the grand ole opry.
As far as counry singers go;
Charley Pride
Stoney Edwards
Big Al Downing (Did a few country albums)
Cleve Francis
Miko Marks
Carl Ray
Rissi Palmer
Darius Rucker (formerly of Hootie & the Blowfish)
Cowboy Troy (CrossOver, Rap-Country)
as well as Akon (Who is putting out a country cd under an alias)
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I have been Performing country music since I was 9 years old. by: Jan Pettey
I have recorded, been on National television, Satelite television around the world, had magazine and news paper articles written about me, met all kinds of folk who say I am one of the best performers and nicest people the have ever met....what's up then? why was I never signed by a major lable. I even started the Celebration of Grandparents Day in my home town in 1979..its really getting attention from everyone. for some reason I thought being known as the "Pride" of the Carolinas and the "Soul" of Country was a Compliment..Jan Pettey...www.myspace.com/janpettey
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cleve francis by: Anonymous
cleve francis i belive he sung -lovelight early 90s
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BCMA by: Anonymous
I would like to see more blacks into country music, I know that blacks have some of the same old down home stories to tell too. I have written a few country songs myself, and even made one cd, I just hope to see more of us into it, or maybe start a BCMA, I'm not sure how well that would go over, but I would like to try it.
anyone with me on this? let me know.
Kountrymyway1
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Gennie Ruth Black Country Superstar by: Chance
Gennie Ruth is the black girl that sings Tell It Over and Over Again.
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Gennie Ruth Cheatham Black Country opry Star by: Yolanda S
You are absolutely correct. I was down in Clarksdale at Ground Zero and someone noticed that she was there. She was aksed to come up and sing. She sang Jambalaya and I'll Fly Away and you knew that even though it was impromptu, she was great. Wow, is she gorgeous. I would love to see her in concert if someone knows where she is working and performing. She is destined to be a superstar.
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Gennie Ruth Cheatham by: Gayle
Gennie Ruth Cheatham is from a little place in Memphis, TN. that was called West Junction. For decades she has been singing country gospel, and bluegrass gospel all over the world. gennierc-yahoo.com She is the best black country singer I have ever heard. While her focus is country gospel, she plays piano and picks numerous instruments. She has an organization called the International Association of Black Country Gospel and Bluegrass Musicians
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Black Country Music Singers by: Joe Arnold
For a glimspe of some of the Black Country Music singers, writers, publishers, in Pamela E. Foster's 1998 best selling book, "My Country, The African Diaspora's Country Music Heritage" go to
http://www.hometown.aol.com/blackyodelno1/myhomepage/index.html
Or type "Mike Johnson Black Yodel No.1" into your Search Browser.
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Black Country Singers by: Joe Arnold
There have been a substantial number of Black Country singers since the beginning. Charley Pride is by no means, the first. He IS however, the first major label black country super star.
Mike Johnson is Country Music's No.1 Black Yodeler. He has written more yodeling songs than anyone, and 114 of them from his Yodel Song Archives are part of the Recorded Sound Reference Center's permanent music collection at the Library of Congress in April 2007. Johnson wrote his first song in 1957, began performing in the mid-1960s, and did his first Nashville recording session in 1981. He is a BMI writer member with over 25 releases. He is also a US Navy Vietnam Veteran (1967-1967)and retired long distance trucker. In 1998 he was one of over 100 Black Country Music artists featured in Pamela E. Foster's 340-page anthology about black involment in country music, "My Country, The African Diaspora's Country Music Heritage." In September 2002, The National Traditional Country Music Association inducted him into America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame. He is one of the 18 world famous yodelers on Bart Plantenga's "Rough Guide To Yodel" CD released in September 2006 by the World Music Network in London, England. Korean War Veteran and Bronze Star recipient, McDonald Craig of Linden, Tennessee, grew up in a country/bluegrass music household and regularly performed with his parents and siblings until he went to Korea. Upon his return he continued his music, and was on Nashville's Gold Standard label briefly during the 1960s. In 1978 he became the first and only Black Yodeler to win First Place at the Annual Jimmie Rodgers Yodeling Championship held in Meridian, Mississippi.
Joe Arnold, Roughshod Records www.cdbaby.com/cd/mikejohnson www.youtube.com/BY1NO1
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Black Coungtry singers by: Anonymous
Korean War Veteran Mcdonald Craig of Linden,Tennesse grew up in a country/bluegrass music household and performed around the state with his parents and siblings. After his return from Korea he briefly recorded for Nashville's Gold Standard label during the 1960s. In 1978 he became the first and only Black Yodeler to win First Place at an Annual Jimmie Rodgers Yodeling Championship held in Meridian, Mississippi.
Vietnam Veteran, Mike Johnson, Country Music's No.1 Black Yodeler wrote his first song in 1957 and began performing in the mid-1960s. He has written more yodeling songs than anyone and 114 of them from his Yodel Song Archives are part of the Recorded Sound Reference Center's permanent music collection at the Library of Congress. In 2002 the National Traditional Country Music Association inducted him into America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame.
Joe Arnold, Roughshod Records
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REAL Country by: kenneth edwards
Charlie Pride was main stream and the bench mark Ray Charles would have meet that mark if he was only a country music artist my dad Stoney Edwards blazed the honky tonks,dance halls ,rodeos on a shoe string budgets but with a very tight bands from 1971 to 1976 nobody wanted too follow my dads shows record sales are not the only way too bench mark a artist. Sadley mostly old band members and other artist give my dad his just do note Brenda Lee cover shes my rock with he's my rock George Strait Bigger man than me, Stranger in my arms and the real thing and too much of to little, Moe Bandy hank and lefty George Jones shes my rock John Conley rose colored glasses and others david allen cole, jeese windchester their is about 4 albums of unreleased music on capital records and JMI Cowboy Jack Clemons label about a album and a half of music and the austin album with the asleep of the wheel and music america some of this material is my dads best thks ken edwards shesmyrock@yahoo.com
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List of Black Country Singers by: Robert
You're probably looking for Cleve Francis,,,, here's some others.... Carl Ray Stoney Edwards, Deford Bailey, Ray Charles, Keb' Mo' , Esther Phillips, Lorenza Trotter, Cowboy Troy, Neal McCoy, Big Al Downing, .
