In this blog post, we’re going to dive into the best black country singers you can listen to right now.
When you think of country music, you might picture a predominantly white, rural audience listening to songs about small towns, trucks, and heartbreak. But country music is not just for white people, and it’s not just about those topics.
Black musicians have been a part of country music since its early days, and have made significant contributions to the genre over the years. We’ll highlight some of the most notable Black country singers, from pioneers like Charley Pride to rising stars like Mickey Guyton.
Best Black Country Singers
Charley Pride
Charley Pride was a trailblazing country music artist who rose to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was born on March 18, 1934, in Sledge, Mississippi, and was one of eleven children.
Pride’s breakthrough came in 1967 with his hit single “Just Between You and Me,” which reached the top ten on the country charts. He followed up with a string of successful singles, including “All I Have to Offer You (Is Me),” “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’,” and “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone.”
Pride faced discrimination as a black man in the predominantly white world of country music, but his talent and charisma won over fans and critics alike. He became the first black artist to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in 1967 and the first black artist to win the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year award in 1971.
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Darius Rucker
Darius Rucker is an American singer and songwriter who gained fame as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish before launching a successful solo career in country music.
In the late 1980s, he formed Hootie & the Blowfish with some college friends, and the band released its debut album, “Cracked Rear View,” in 1994. The album became a massive commercial success, selling over 16 million copies in the United States alone and earning the band two Grammy Awards.
In 2002, Rucker released his first solo album, “Back to Then,” which drew on his love of R&B and soul music. However, it wasn’t until 2008 that he made his foray into country music, with the release of his second solo album, “Learn to Live.” The album’s lead single, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, making Rucker the first African American artist to have a number-one hit on the country chart since Charley Pride in 1983.
He has scored multiple number-one hits on the country charts, including “Come Back Song,” “This,” and “Wagon Wheel,” a cover of the Old Crow Medicine Show song that became a massive hit in 2013.
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Deford Bailey
Deford Bailey was an African-American country music performer and harmonica player who was born in Smith County, Tennessee, in 1899. He was one of the earliest and most influential African-American performers in country music and is considered a pioneer in the genre.
He began performing at local events and on radio stations in the 1920s, and in 1925, he joined the cast of the WSM Barn Dance radio show in Nashville, which later became the Grand Ole Opry.
Despite his success, Bailey faced racial discrimination throughout his career. He was not allowed to stay in the same hotels as his white colleagues or use the same bathrooms, and he was often relegated to performing on separate stages from white performers. In 1941, he was fired from the Grand Ole Opry for reasons that are still not entirely clear, but some speculate that it was due to his race.
Bailey’s legacy in country music is significant. He was a trailblazer for African-American performers in the genre and helped to popularize the harmonica as an instrument in country music. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005, nearly 60 years after he was fired from the Grand Ole Opry.
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Mickey Guyton
Mickey Guyton is a country music singer and songwriter from Arlington, Texas. She was born on June 17, 1983, and grew up in a family of musical performers. Her mother was a choir director and her father played the drums in a local band.
Guyton’s musical career began in 2011 when she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue her passion for country music. She signed with Capitol Records Nashville in 2015 and released her debut single, “Better Than You Left Me,” which reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
In 2020, Guyton made history as the first Black female solo artist to perform at the Academy of Country Music Awards. She also released her EP “Bridges,” which features the hit single “Black Like Me,” a song that speaks to her experiences as a Black woman in the country music industry.
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Kane Brown
Kane Brown is a country music singer and songwriter from the United States. He was born on October 21, 1993, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and was raised by his mother and grandparents.
Brown’s self-titled debut album was released in 2016, which featured hit singles such as “What Ifs” and “Heaven.” The album debuted at number one on the Top Country Albums chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
In 2018, Brown released his second studio album, “Experiment,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and featured singles such as “Lose It” and “Good as You.” He has won several awards, including the ACM Award for New Male Artist of the Year and the Billboard Music Award for Top Country Album.
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Jimmie Allen
Jimmie Allen is an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. He was born on June 18, 1986, in Milton, Delaware. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2007 to pursue a career in country music.
Allen’s first break came in 2012 when he appeared on season 10 of American Idol, but he was eliminated during the Hollywood rounds. Undeterred, he continued to pursue music and released his debut single, “Best Shot,” in 2017. The song was a critical and commercial success, reaching number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
In 2018, Allen released his debut album, “Mercury Lane,” which featured the hit singles “Best Shot,” “Make Me Want To,” and “21.” The album was well-received by critics and earned Allen a nomination for New Male Artist of the Year at the 2019 Academy of Country Music Awards.
He has also received several award nominations, including for Breakthrough Video of the Year at the 2020 CMT Music Awards and New Artist of the Year at the 2020 Country Music Association Awards.
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Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon Giddens is an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for her contributions to the revival of traditional African American music and her incorporation of various musical styles into her work.
Giddens is perhaps best known as a founding member of the old-time string band Carolina Chocolate Drops, with whom she won a Grammy Award in 2011. She has also released several solo albums, including “Tomorrow Is My Turn” in 2015 and “Freedom Highway” in 2017.
Giddens’ music draws from a wide range of influences, including blues, gospel, country, and folk. Her lyrics often explore themes of history, identity, and social justice, and she has been praised for her powerful voice and innovative musical arrangements.
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Cowboy Troy
Cowboy Troy (born Troy Lee Coleman III) is an American country rapper from Victoria, Texas. He was born on December 18, 1970, and grew up in Dallas, Texas.
In the early 2000s, Cowboy Troy gained popularity as a member of the MuzikMafia, a group of musicians who blended country and hip-hop music. He released his debut album, “Loco Motive,” in 2005 on the Warner Bros. Records label. The album featured collaborations with country music stars Big & Rich, as well as rapper Nelly.
Cowboy Troy’s music often features a mix of rap and country music, which he calls “hick-hop.” He is known for his unique style and his ability to blend different genres of music together.
Over the years, Cowboy Troy has collaborated with a number of country music stars, including Tim McGraw, Trace Adkins, and Toby Keith. He has released several albums, including “Black in the Saddle” in 2007 and “King of Clubs” in 2014.
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Cleve Francis
Cleve Francis is an American country music artist, born on October 22, 1945, in Jennings, Louisiana. Prior to his career in music, Francis was a successful cardiologist and served as the chief of cardiology at a hospital in Washington D.C.
In the late 1980s, Francis pursued his passion for music and signed a recording contract with Capitol Records. He released his debut album, “Finer Things in Life,” in 1989, which included the hit single “Love Light.” The song peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and helped to establish Francis as a promising new artist in the country music genre.
Francis followed up his successful debut with several more albums throughout the 1990s, including “Closer to You” (1991) and “The Song Is You” (1995). He scored additional hits with songs like “Dangerous Love” and “Nobody’s Baby,” both of which reached the top 20 on the country charts.
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Aaron Neville
Aaron Neville is an American singer and musician known for his soulful voice and his contributions to various genres of music, including R&B, pop, and country. He was born on January 24, 1941, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
In the 1990s, Neville began to focus more on his solo career and released several successful albums. In 1993, he released the album “The Grand Tour,” which featured a cover of the George Jones classic “The Grand Tour” and became Neville’s first major hit in the country music genre. He went on to release several more country albums, including “To Make Me Who I Am” in 1997 and “Devotion” in 2000.
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DeFord Bailey Jr.
DeFord Bailey Jr. was an American country music artist who was born on December 14, 1928, in Smith County, Tennessee, and passed away on July 5, 1982. He was the grandson of DeFord Bailey, who was one of the first African American stars of the Grand Ole Opry, a weekly country music radio program in Nashville, Tennessee.
DeFord Bailey Jr. began playing harmonica at a young age, and he quickly developed a unique style that blended elements of blues, jazz, and country music. In the early 1940s, he began performing on the Grand Ole Opry alongside his grandfather and other country music stars.
Despite his success as a musician, Bailey Jr. faced discrimination and racism as a black man in the predominantly white country music industry. He was often relegated to performing in segregated venues and was not given the same opportunities as his white counterparts.
Bailey Jr. continued to perform and record music throughout his career, and he was eventually inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005, nearly 23 years after his death. His legacy as a pioneering African American country musician continues to inspire generations of musicians today.
Ray Charles
Ray Charles, also known as “The Genius,” was a legendary American musician who blended elements of country, blues, gospel, and R&B to create his unique sound. Born in Albany, Georgia in 1930, Charles was raised in poverty and went blind at the age of seven due to glaucoma.
As a child, Charles was exposed to a variety of musical styles, including country music, which was popular in the rural South where he grew up. He was particularly influenced by the singing of Jimmie Rodgers, known as the “Father of Country Music,” and would later incorporate country elements into his own music.
He recorded several country-inspired albums, including “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music” in 1962, which included covers of songs by Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, and Don Gibson.
Charles’ country-inspired music was groundbreaking at the time, as it blurred the lines between different musical genres and introduced new audiences to country music.
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Linda Martell
Linda Martell is a pioneering African American country music singer. She was born in South Carolina in 1941 and began singing in church at a young age. In the 1960s, she began performing in country music venues in Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1969, Martell became the first African American woman to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, one of the most prestigious venues in country music. She also signed a recording contract with Plantation Records and released several singles, including “Color Him Father,” which reached the top 25 on the country charts in 1970.
Despite her early success, Martell faced racial discrimination and struggled to gain widespread acceptance in the country music industry. She eventually left the music business in the mid-1970s, but her legacy as a trailblazer for African American women in country music continues to inspire artists today.
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Stoney Edwards
Stoney Edwards was an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was born in rural Oklahoma in 1929, and grew up listening to gospel, blues, and country music. Edwards began his music career in the 1950s, playing in honky-tonks and clubs across the southern United States.
In 1973, Edwards signed with Capitol Records and released his debut album, “Stoney Edwards,” which included the hit single “She’s My Rock.” The song reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, making Edwards one of the few African-American country music performers to achieve commercial success at that time.
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O.B. McClinton
O.B. McClinton was an American country singer and songwriter who was born on April 25, 1940, in Senatobia, Mississippi, and passed away on September 23, 1987, in Memphis, Tennessee.
McClinton’s music blended elements of traditional country with soul, blues, and R&B influences. He had several chart hits in the 1970s, including “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You” and “The Finer Things in Life.” He was also known for his energetic live performances and charismatic stage presence.
Despite his success, McClinton struggled with personal demons throughout his career, including substance abuse and legal troubles. He continued to perform and record music until his death in 1987 at the age of 47. Today, he is remembered as a pioneering figure in the fusion of country and soul music.
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Rissi Palmer
Rissi Palmer is an American country music singer-songwriter, born on July 19, 1981, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Palmer was drawn to country music, but as a Black woman, she faced challenges breaking into the predominantly white genre.
In 2007, Palmer released her debut single “Country Girl” on the independent label, 1720 Entertainment. The song was a hit and made Palmer the first Black woman to chart a country song since 1987. Later that year, she released her self-titled debut album, which included the singles “Hold On To Me” and “No Air.”
Palmer’s music blends traditional country with elements of soul and gospel, and her lyrics often explore issues of race and identity. She has cited Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Patsy Cline as influences, as well as Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston.
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Della Reese
Della Reese was an American singer, actress, and ordained minister, who was born on July 6, 1931, in Detroit, Michigan.
Reese’s first country music hit was “My Heart Cries for You” in 1955, which reached #16 on the country charts. She also recorded a duet with Jim Reeves called “In the Garden” in 1961, which became a hit on the country and pop charts.
In 1970, Reese released an album called “Black Is Beautiful,” which featured a mix of country, soul, and pop songs. The album included a cover of Kris Kristofferson’s “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again),” which became one of her most popular country songs.
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Adia Victoria
Adia Victoria is an American singer-songwriter from Spartanburg, South Carolina, who incorporates blues, rock, and country influences into her music.
Victoria’s debut album, “Beyond the Bloodhounds,” was released in 2016 and received critical acclaim for its fusion of blues, rock, and country elements. The album explores themes of race, identity, and personal struggles, and features Victoria’s powerful vocals and raw, emotional songwriting.
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Miko Marks
Miko Marks is an American country music singer and songwriter who was born in Flint, Michigan, and grew up in California.
She moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in the early 2000s to pursue a career in country music. In 2005, she released her debut album, “Freeway Bound,” which received critical acclaim and featured the single “Mama.” The song became a hit on country radio and helped to establish Marks as a rising star in the genre.
Throughout her career, Marks has been recognized for her contributions to country music, including being named Female Vocalist of the Year at the Independent Music Awards in 2007 and winning the Best Country Song award at the Independent Music Awards in 2012.
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Jackie Washington
Jackie Washington was a Canadian country blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was born in Hamilton, Ontario in 1919, and began playing music at a young age, performing with his family’s band, The Washingtons.
Washington’s style was deeply rooted in the country blues tradition, but he also incorporated elements of jazz, swing, and folk music into his music. He became a popular performer on the folk festival circuit in the 1950s and 60s, and recorded several albums, including “Jackie Washington” (1962) and “Just Jackie” (1977).
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Conclusion
Despite facing obstacles and discrimination in the industry, Black country singers have persevered and continued to make their mark on the genre. From the soulful voice of Charley Pride to the powerful lyrics of Mickey Guyton, these musicians have shown that country music is for everyone, regardless of race or background. As we continue to celebrate and appreciate the diversity of voices in country music, let’s not forget the Black artists who have helped shape the genre into what it is today.
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