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Beyonce Country Project

^^^^^ One of the more fascinating aspects of Country music is that even way back, there were influences on Country's originating genres (mountain music, rural banjo and fiddle based folk music, etc.) from African American music at the time.

Mountain banjo player Dock Boggs included blues influenced themes into his recordings, and mountain banjoists and fiddle players (Hobart Smith would be an example) often acknowledged blues and other black musicians being an influence. It wasn't massive, but there was interplay between black and white musicians in the rural areas of Appalachia and other regions of the South.

A lot of this mix of folk, mountain ballads and blues hollers developed into the early country music of the 1920's and 1930's, and naturally the genre progressed through the decades.. the point being that although Country has had this rep of being mostly 'white' music, when you dig into the sources of the music itself, that's not really the case.

Great to see that it's being more embraced by black artists, though. We're coming around full circle. I remember seeing the Lil Nas X vid, and seeing blacks and white making country music together, it seemed very American.
 
From Beyonce's Instagram:
This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.

The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.

I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound.

I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE…I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop.

This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!
Click to expand...

 
Most county music fans are open to black artists entering the genre, as long as the music is good and fits the format. Personally, I don't like Beyonce's country song. It sounds manufactured, and doesn't really fit the country format. I've heard another version played on urban stations as well. I change the station every time it comes on, whichever version.
 
CLTRadio said:
Most county music fans are open to black artists entering the genre, as long as the music is good and fits the format.
Click to expand...
It's interesting that we have had a number of Hispanic country artists.

Some were crossovers from Tejano, which has a heritage in both Mexican and Country music. We had the Mavericks from Miami with a Cuban lead singer. And we had Dwight Yoakam who liked featuring Tejano / Norteña musicians in his shows; in fact, that influence was a part of the "Bakersfield Sound".

It sounds reasonable that African Americans look at participating in country, too. In many senses, country is replacing the kind of sound that made Top 40 so universal from the mid-50's well into the 70's (disco excluded... please!).
 
DavidEduardo said:
In many senses, country is replacing the kind of sound that made Top 40 so universal from the mid-50's well into the 70's (disco excluded... please!).
Click to expand...
Allegedly, Alicia Bridges' 1978 Disco hit "I Love the Nightlife" got airplay on some Country stations (she does have a bit of Southern "twang" to her voice). And Exile's 1978 Disco-style song "Kiss You All Over" is played on some Classic Country stations, because the group later switched from Pop to Country and it became an honorary Country song.
 
Sean Ross updates the chart performance and programming of "Texas Hold 'Em":
radioinsight.com

How Did “Texas Hold ‘Em” Hold Up? - RadioInsight

It’s been more than a month since the release of “Texas Hold ‘Em.” In the first 48 hours after that song’s release, Beyoncé may not have broken the Internet, but she was mind-bending for radio, as programmers in all formats struggled with how to handle it. Top 40 was first, although slower than...
radioinsight.com radioinsight.com
 
kevtronics said:
Allegedly, Alicia Bridges' 1978 Disco hit "I Love the Nightlife" got airplay on some Country stations (she does have a bit of Southern "twang" to her voice). And Exile's 1978 Disco-style song "Kiss You All Over" is played on some Classic Country stations, because the group later switched from Pop to Country and it became an honorary Country song.
Click to expand...
I've heard the Exile song on classic country radio. There are a number of similar songs that have become "honorary" country gold. A few I've heard on our local station are America's "Sister Golden Hair," Marshall Tucker Band's "Fire on the Mountain," The Band's "The Weight" and at least a half-dozen CCR hits.
I can't imagine "I Love the Night Life" getting country airplay, even in the disco '70s. I was living in Arkansas in 1978 and never heard it on anything but Top 40 stations. That said, northern "chicken country" stations like WHN New York, which avoided anything that sounded the least bit rural, might have found a place for it.
 
kevtronics said:
Allegedly, Alicia Bridges' 1978 Disco hit "I Love the Nightlife" got airplay on some Country stations (she does have a bit of Southern "twang" to her voice).
Click to expand...
CTListener said:
I can't imagine "I Love the Night Life" getting country airplay,
Click to expand...

She was actually signed to a Nashville label for a short time, and worked with Nashville producer Steve Buckingham, who produced several big country stars including Ricky Van Shelton. They ultimately thought she was more of a Memphis style singer. She doesn't appear in Joel Whitburn's book of Billboard hits, so if she got country airplay, it didn't register.
 
CTListener said:
I can't imagine "I Love the Night Life" getting country airplay, even in the disco '70s. I was living in Arkansas in 1978 and never heard it on anything but Top 40 stations. That said, northern "chicken country" stations like WHN New York, which avoided anything that sounded the least bit rural, might have found a place for it.
Click to expand...
There was a lot of unexpected crossover in the late '70s/early '80s "Urban Cowboy" era. For example, Bertie Higgins' "Key Largo" made it to #50 on the Billboard Country chart.

This article highlights many of the rock/pop/R&B artists which tried to cross over to Country, with varying results:

variety.com

20 Artists Who Crossed Over to Country (and How They Fared): Beyoncé, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, Bon Jovi and More

A look back at singers that tried crossing over from rock, pop or R&B to country, from Ray Charles to Kid Rock, Jessica Simpson and Steven Tyler.
variety.com variety.com
 
"A Perfect Mountain" by Dean Martin is playing right now on an online radio station. Sure sounds country to me. His "Houston" I've heard a lot on various stations, and it also sounds country.
 
Uh-oh, thread drift. Sorry for encouraging it, but it might be time to cut off this particular off-topic sidetrack before we have 10 pages full of pop songs heard on country stations and vice versa.
 
Beyonce revealed the track list for her country album. It includes duets with Dolly Parton & Willie Nelson:

www.yahoo.com

Beyoncé’s New Album Features “Jolene” Cover, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson Collaborations

Beyoncé's country album, Cowboy Carter, is out this Friday, March 29th. Beyoncé’s New Album Features “Jolene” Cover, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson Collaborations Scoop Harrison
www.yahoo.com www.yahoo.com

variety.com

Beyoncé Reveals Tracklist for ‘Cowboy Carter’ Featuring Songs ‘Jolene’ and ‘The Linda Martell Show’

Beyoncé has revealed the tracklist for 'Cowboy Carter' featuring songs 'Jolene' and 'The Linda Martell Show.'
variety.com variety.com
 
One thing I just noticed is that the country version of Texas Hold Em is slightly different from the pop version.

The B word has been covered up by a woo. It is labeled a clean version by her record label.
 
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