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  bigdaddyg2k4 (bigdaddyg2k4) 3-Pundit Username: bigdaddyg2k4 Post Number: 38 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 205.138.55.84 |
For quite a while now, we were discussing the topic of Country soul and how we are fans of the musical genre in its songs about love, life and pain sung by our favorite Country and non-Country artists who happen to be black. Sometime back in March, there was a program that aired on CMT (Country Music Television) titled "Waiting In The Wings: African-Americans In Country Music" and it is a compelling story about our contribution to Country music, its history and origins. I was quite amazed and surprised to see that even this musical genre was started by us Black folks way before it was popularized by the whites in the early 20th century. This 1 1/2 hour program was an in depth look on how Black Americans contributed heavily to Country music and the culture as a whole, something I didn't know before until now. This was an excellent prime-time history lesson on how this influential style of music got started and the proper respect that is being acknowledged and granted from then to now, by some of the biggest and most respected stars yesterday and today. Here are some interesting facts about our amazing contributions to Country music being felt today and enjoyed by many: The Fiddle and Banjo was originated in Africa by tribespeople throughout many centuries/The Country style of singing and phrasing was introduced to the whites by Africans and descendents of African slaves through their songs and chants/Legendary Harmonica player DeFord Bailey was the first African-American performer at the Grand Ole Opry and was the first performer period in the Grand Ole Opry radio show on WSM radio in Nashville, TN./He made more appearances at the Grand Ole Opry in 1927 than any other Country artist/Recorded the very first recording session ever in Nashville/Was mentored and befriended by Country music legend Roy Acuff. Other African-American facts in Country music: Legendary artists such as Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, Bill Monroe and Hank Williams all acquired their guitar-playing and singing styles by African-American musicians and singers in the '20s and '30s/In 1933, Blues musician Leadbelly recorded Country hit "Goodnight Irene"/In 1944, Jazz songstress Ella Fitzgerald had a hit on the Country charts with "When My Sugar Walks Down The Street"/In 1949, Henry Glover becomes the 1st Black producer with a #1 Country hit with "Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me?" and went on to place 20 hits on the charts as well./In 1962, Soul legend Ray Charles records the album "Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music" including the #1 hit "I Can't Stop Loving You"/Former Motown Founder and President Berry Gordy started 5 Country music labels in the '60s and '70s and teamed with Nashville producer and Curb Records founder Mike Curb to tap talent in the Nashville area./1st Country artist who recorded for Motown was T.G. Sheppard who had a hit in the '70s with "Devil In The Bottle"/In 1965, The Supremes released a Country album titled "The Supremes Sing Country & Western Pop"/Former Commodores lead singer Lionel Richie wrote #1 smash "Lady" for Country artist Kenny Rogers in 1980, had a minor County hit in 1984 with the song "Stuck On You", and teamed with Alabama with the hit "Deep River Woman" in 1987. Charley Pride was the 1st hugely successful African-American in Country music history/Only Black honored as Entertainer of the Year & Top Male Vocalist at the Country Music Association Awards in 1971/36 #1 hits/Countless awards including Grammys/2nd biggest selling artist behind Elvis Presley in RCA records history with sales over 70 million copies. Folks these are just some of the amazing accomplishments that us Black Americans achieved in Country music and its nothing short of miraculous in my book. Please let me know what your thoughts are in this discussion and any other trivia and facts that you would like to share with the rest of us. Peace & one love to all. | ||
Vonnie (vonnie) 5-Doyen Username: vonnie Post Number: 178 Registered: 3-2004 Posted From: 205.188.116.138 |
bigdaddy, What an amazing post! I did not know all these facts about African-Americans contributions to Country Music. I did know a little about Charley Pride and his accomplishments, but the fact that Ella Fitzgerald had a Country hit in 1944 is remarkable. I knew about Ray Charles Country music contributions, he's the only person that I can think of that has had hits on all charts and in every genre of music. Thanks so much for this wonderful post, I am looking forward to viewing the program "Waiting In The Wings: African-Americans In Country Music. I hope that the program will be broadcast in my area. | ||
motesartsound (uncle_derrald) 1-Arriviste Username: uncle_derrald Post Number: 4 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 67.114.129.41 |
Bigdaddy2k4 and vonnie: In the segway of the aforementioned subject (and if you have an audio connection), go check the program out "R & B Goes Country" on www.goodtimesroll.org. I listened to this twice from a San Francisco radio station on-line, as well as the webpage itself. Enjoy! Currently healing from a bicycling accident, Uncle Derrald | ||
Davie Gordon (davie_gordon) 4-Laureate Username: davie_gordon Post Number: 87 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 212.219.250.2 |
Hi Big Daddy, I agree with most of what you say and that the influence of black musicians and singers on country music runs much deeper than Charley Pride's career. But "I was quite amazed and surprised to see that even this musical genre was started by us Black folks way before it was popularized by the whites" seems to me to be pushing it a bit. Influences were a two-way thing. You'd have to balance white country acts who had strong black influences with R&B/soul acts who had strong country influences - Ivory Joe Hunter etc. For more on this subject there's an excellent book by Barney Hoskyns called "Say It One More Time For The Brokenhearted" which covers this two-way flow in depth. Anybody interested in following this up should look for a 2-CD set of country music performed by black artists issued by RCA a few years ago. It was only issued in the US - apparently they didn't think there would be much of a market for it in the UK. I can't recall the title offhand but will do a follow up post when I do. Davie | ||
Eva (bigswede2002) 3-Pundit Username: bigswede2002 Post Number: 47 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 130.237.171.253 |
Hi Davie, Another good introduction to the African-American involvement in C/W music is the 3 CD box "From Where I Stand". Here's a review: http://weeklywire.com/ww/06-15 -98/boston_music_2.html I have this one myself, and it's excellent, both the song selection and the liner notes (by noted C/W expert Bill C. Malone, and music journalist Ron Wynn, among others). Another nice comp, from "the other side", is "Country's Got Soul". Eva | ||
Eva (bigswede2002) 3-Pundit Username: bigswede2002 Post Number: 48 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 130.237.171.253 |
Oops, that should be: "Country Got Soul" http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/fol kcountry/reviews/artvari_soul. shtml Eva | ||
Robb_K (robb_k) 5-Doyen Username: robb_k Post Number: 311 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 66.81.195.203 |
In addition, there is a DVD out on Country Music, part of a documentary series on The Roots of American Music, that chronicles African-American contributions to the development of country music. I believe it's development was sponsored by PBS. I can't remember the title, or author/director, but it was shown on PBS several months ago. One episode contained a section on the crossover between Country/Folk Blues from the African-American communities in The South, and the White Folk/Country music development. It had a large portion dedicated to DeFord Bailey's impact on Grand Ole' Opry and it's influence on the spread of Country Music to all parts of US society, and also showed lots of film footage of him and other African-American Country/Folk artists. It's well worth looking for. I assume the DVDs are available in music stores and at rental shops, just as the PBS sponsored series on Jazz is. Sorry that I can't remember the actual title or credits. I'm sure someone else on SD can provide that information. |
