Headline : Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Includes a Shout-Out to Linda Martell — Who Is She?

Read more from the original article on here at www.rollingstone.com.

---

No. of Paragraph 15

When Beyoncé unveiled a poster homage to country jamborees to announce the track list to Cowboy Carter, the project’s country tie-ins became even more clear. The artwork included references to Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton — and Linda Martell, a name that may have only resonated with country scholars.

Although she isn’t a star on the magnitude of the other names Beyoncé included, Martell, now 82, left a sizable mark on country music. Released in 1970, her sole album, Color Me Country, was the first major release by a Black female artist in country. A mix of honky-tonk spunk and heartbreak balladry, all infused with her roots in gospel and R&B, the album spawned three country hits and led to Martell becoming the first solo Black woman country artist to play the Grand Ole Opry. During that time, she also appeared on the hugely popular syndicated country variety show Hee Haw and shared stages with country artists like Hank Snow and Waylon Jennings.

Those may not seem like huge victories in the context of 2024, but back then, Martell’s mere presence was historic. Although Nashville had previously welcomed a small number of Black artists, including Charley Pride, Martell was one of the first women of color to enter the field. But, as she told Rolling Stone in an exclusive interview in 2020, she also paid the price on many levels.

“I am proud that Beyoncé is exploring her country music roots,” Martell said in a statement on the day of the album’s release. “What she is doing is beautiful, and I’m honored to be a part of it. It’s Beyoncé, after all!”

Read more from the original article on here at www.rollingstone.com.

Related Headlines : Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Includes a Shout-Out to Linda Martell — Who Is She? (in Google.com):

Hello, below you have a "Web" tab to read more content and an "Image" tab to get related pictures

Example : Trends, Country, News, Jobs, Scholarships, Investment, Business, Politics, Adverts, Fashion, Events, Technology and more.