Beyoncé is nothing if not timely. Her spectacular new album ‘Cowboy Carter’ is helping to shine a light on the Black roots of country music, while also allowing the spotlight to hit some of the new voices within American traditions.
Yet Black country isn’t a new invention. The Black experience – and Black excellence – has long pioneered within the country music story, and 2024 is no exception. Indeed, you could argue we’re in a boom period for country music – right here in the UK the streaming audience has grown by 380% in the past five years, to the extent that and one in every 100 tracks streamed here is reportedly a country song.
Rissi Palmer’s Color Me Country initiative is doing wonders to spread the word about Black musicians and people of colour within the country sphere. Her stage takeover at the Long Road Festival is a live music institution, presenting a host of special artists to UK audiences.
But then, leading from the front of what Rissi Palmer does best. She became the first Black woman to appear on the US country chart in 2007, and currently hosts a hugely popular show on Apple Radio called Color Me Country, celebrating the Black, Indigenous, and Latinx histories of the genre.
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Set to return to the Long Road Festival in August, she’s determined to introduce fresh voices to UK country fans. Recently she noted:
The Color Me Country Takeover Stage was born out of wanting to take the radio show and turn it into a live experience. I remember when I was just starting out, how much I wanted to play internationally and how few and far between those opportunities were. I also know from my own career that artists not only need radio airplay, they need exposure that doesn’t necessarily cause them to go broke… especially artists of colour.
When Long Road Festival offered me the stage, I knew I wanted to bring artists that were at the cusp of breaking through, who were ready for the moment. I also knew I wanted them to have the experience expense free AND to pay them. It was my chance to show the way things should and could be. Thanks to donations from supporters as well as larger entities like The Hello In There foundation and BMAC, my non profit, The Color Me Country Foundation, has been able to take 13 acts and a 5-piece, all Black band overseas, all expenses paid.
So, without further ado, Rissi Palmer has picked out five pivotal new Black and POC voices within country music for CLASH readers…
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Rvshvd
The thing that I love about Rvshvd is that he is traditional country music through and through. A smooth tenor who hails from Willacoochee, GA, he mixes George Strait with a modern sensibility. I love his songwriting style, especially in the song ‘Deal With The Devil.
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Tiera Kennedy
Aside from being a fellow Apple Music Country host (she hosts the daily Tiera Show), Tiera is a ray of sunshine. Her personality brings an instant smile to your face and her voice is just as sugary sweet. This Birmingham, Alabama songstress’ music combines a 90s R&B feel with her very Country delivery, which makes for a smooth sound that makes you want to dance. The work she did with producer/songwriter Cameron Bedell is magical, just listen to ‘Found It In You’. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Tiera is also featured on Beyonce’s new album ‘Cowboy Carter’, on the Beatles remake ‘Blackbird’.
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Michael Warren
Michael is an incredible singer and songwriter from Alabama who has written hits for Akon and Jennifer Lopez but has his heart and soul firmly in country music. He is a gifted storyteller who weaves home, family, and love in a way that incorporates R&B and country in a masterful way. You can hear his bonafides in ‘What’s Country To You’.
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Angie K
Born in El Salvador and raised in Georgia, Angie K mixes her Country sound with her Latin roots in a seamless way. Writing songs in both English and Spanish, Angie is an excellent songwriter. My favourite song from the CMT Next Woman of Country is ‘Country Is As Country Does’, a defiant anthem about country being a state of mind and not necessarily the state you live in.
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Chapel Hart
What’s not to love about Chapel Hart? They have IT: the vocal harmonies, the stage presence, the songs. They are a force of nature and HILARIOUS to boot.
I had the honour of presenting them at last year’s Long Road Fest and they damn near caused a riot! I’m so excited that Long Road had the good sense to bring them back this year for their own stage. If you want just a taste of what Chapel Hart brings to the table, check out ‘You Can Have Him Jolene’.
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The Long Road Festival takes place between August 23rd – 25th at Stanford Hall, Leicestershire.
