Indio's Stagecoach Festival is buzzing with excitement as country music lovers gear up for what's being billed as “Country Music's Biggest Party.” But amidst that frenzy, discussions about the genre's evolving landscape, spurred by the release of BeyoncĂ©'s country album Cowboy Carter, are drawing attention to the conversation about black artists in country music. Adding sides.
Singer-songwriter Carmen Diane also joins the conversation.
“I'm from Tennessee. My mom loved country music, and her favorite song when I was a kid was 'No Shoes, No Shirt, No Through.' So, it’s something I grew up with,” Diane said. She is part of her OnRamp, an artist development program by the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) and the Academy of Country Music that provides workshops, mentorship, and financial support to up-and-coming talent.
As part of that program, she will lend her voice to BMAC's 2022 report, “Three Chords and the Actual Truth: The Manufactured Myth of Country Music in White America,” which features country star Mickey Guyton. Preparations are underway. This report delves into myths, statistics, and expert opinion regarding the role of Black people in country music.
“The landscape of country music is changing right now,” Diane says. “BeyoncĂ© shows that there's a market out there for people like us who want to see artists like us, and that opportunity is rolling in,” she said. But the reality remains harsh, with a BMAC report revealing that only 1% of artists signed to major Nashville labels between 2020 and 2021 were Black. .
During a panel discussion, Guyton, a Grammy-nominated country singer, spoke about the need for equality in the industry. “I give people opportunities, not for any other reason, but because they are talented and deserve the same opportunities. It comes with a price. And people said horrible things to me. ” Guyton said. She emphasized that audiences need to be shown the monetary value of black artists.
Willy “Prophet” Stiggers, CEO and President of BMAC, emphasized the opportunity of the current situation. “When BeyoncĂ© announced the project, we felt we needed to center it around the conversation to help people understand why this moment is important. When we made the announcement, there were also calls for action, and one of those calls to action was for the music community to join us and repair some of the damage that has been done,” Stigers said.
The Stiggers advocate for diversifying radio playlists, recognizing country music's roots and highlighting its African origins. “That banjo that started it all came straight from the Motherland, so this music is as much ours as it is America's,” Stigers said.
The complete report by BMAC can be accessed at bmacoalition.org/musicindustryreport.