A Brief History of Black Americans in Country Music
As far back as the early 1900s, the twang of black voice singing of honky-tonks and heartbreaks existed in country music.One of those early voices belonged to Rufe "Tee-Tot" Payne, who frequented the dives around Greenville, Alabama throughout the 1920s as a street musician. His greatest gift to country came in the form of mentorship: In the 1930s he began teaching a boy named King Hiram Williams, who went on to wear the crown of country music as Hank Williams. Even now, years after Hank Williams’ death, many Americans are unaware that he was taught to play and sing country by a black man.
A contemporary of Payne was Tennessee's, DeFord Bailey, who can rightfully be called country music's first black star. By the age of 26, he joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. Within two years, he was making up to twice the number of appearances as other acts on the radio show, and touring cities across the south and the midwest. But somewhere along the line, he was suddenly let go. In a biography titled DeFord Bailey: A Black Star In Early Country Music, by David Morton and Charles Wolfe (University of Tennessee Press, $27.95, January 1993, ISBN 0-870-49798-0), Bailey explains his dismissal. “They'd seen the day was coming when they'd have to pay me right and they used the excuse about me playing the same old tunes.”
Author Pamela Foster, in her self-published book My Country: The African Diaspora's Country Music Heritage (January 1998), documents some interesting facts about the black roots of country rhythms. For example, she points out that country music is immensely popular in African and Caribbean countries from Kenya to Jamaica; that the banjo was invented by blacks; that the first American steel guitar recordings were by the talented, sightless musician Blind Lemon Jefferson; that over 400 country hits were created by black singers, songwriters, musicians, record label owners or producers; and that, as was the case with Hank Williams, a large number of early white country stars were taught, schooled and influenced by blacks.
Recent Attempts By African-Americans to Break Into Country Music
Frankie Staton, a black woman with 17 years experience as both a performer and writer of country music and co-founder of the Black Country Music Association (BCMA), says the time has come for white people to deal with blacks singing, writing and “getting merry with country.” As founder of BCMA, she hopes to help others transcend the challenges she herself experienced in an industry that would not accept her because of her color. She tells how, on one occasion, she was insulted by a Music Row publisher, because he refused to believe she had written and sung the song she was pitching him.“Black people have always been able to sing country music. We just haven't been able to get the opportunities,” says Staton. “It's as much as ours as it is theirs.”
Staton began her crusade in 1996, when she read a story in the New York Times about country music. The piece quoted Cleve Francis, the cardiologist-turned-country star whose career, despite initially showing promise, had mysteriously fizzled, saying country needed to include more blacks. In no time, Staton was overwhelmed with demo tapes and press packs from aspiring young black country singers from all around the country. Staton never imagined there were so many black people dreaming of singing country, and she was stunned by the quality of the voices she heard. Soon, she began organizing a series of BCMA showcases at premier Nashville clubs.
J.J. Jones, a veteran singer/bassist who once performed in '70s side bands backing George Jones, Mel Tillis and other country stars, now serves as Staton's talent and music director. A Vietnam vet, Jones once cut an album that was never released. Now he is bent on helping new black talent.
“There's a whole market out there waiting to be tapped and can help boost country record sales, which everybody knows are down. I keep telling them, if you want to increase your business among minorities, start signing some!” says Staton…There should have been generations of black country singers since Charley Pride. And there are many, many black country singers that the world should get a chance to know now.” But you can be sure, these hidden faces of country, aren’t giving up.
This article was compiled from various online sources. Links to these sources are provided throughout the article.