When Beyoncé released her new single “Texas Hold ‘Em” during the Super Bowl, it ignited a viral conversation about the genre and the often-ignored history of Black artists playing a defining role in country music.
Perhaps it is a national conversation that is well-overdue, forcing the music industry as a whole to examine its gatekeeping, and even the blatant racism in some cases. One artist who has been making space for these important conversations is another country artist who knows first-hand what it is like to be a Black woman in a genre that, today, is predominantly white.
If you haven’t heard of Grammy-Nominated artist Rissi Palmer, it’s time to get familiar with what this incredible artist, advocate is doing for other artists of color in the country genre and beyond. Rissi has been an advocate and voice for underrepresented artists throughout her career. As the host of ‘Color Me Country with Rissi Palmer’ on Apple Music, she actively works to challenge perceptions about people of color’s involvement in country music, both past and present. The nonprofit Color Me Country Artist Grant Fund was designed to support new country artists of color who are beginning to build their music careers.
Rissi Palmer is one of only five African American women ever to hit the Billboard charts in the history of country music, creating a spotlight not just for herself, but for other Black women. Breaking barriers with the release of her single, “Country Girl,” in 2007, Palmer made history as the first Black woman on the Country Music charts since Dona Mason in 1987. At a time when representation in the genre was limited, she faced numerous obstacles in pursuing her country music career. However, since parting ways with her label in 2010, Palmer has redefined success on her own terms. Independently releasing three critically acclaimed albums, Rissi has secured two Grammy nominations in the Best Children’s Music Album category.
In March of 2023, Rissi was one of nine artists from all music genres featured in the ‘American Masters: In The Making series’ (PBS), highlighting artists shaping and influencing contemporary American culture. Today, Palmer is a prominent figure in both the Country and Americana music genres, with notable performances at The White House, The Grand Ole Opry, New York’s Lincoln Center and Apollo Theater.
On January 27, Rissi released the first episode of Season 4 of ‘Color Me Country Radio’, and we had the chance to chat with her about this season’s episode, the rich history of Black artists who have defined and paved the way for Country Music as we know it today, and the advice she would give young artists of color looking to her and other trailblazing musicians to get their foot in the door.
Congrats on the news of your 4th season of ‘Color Me Country’! What can listeners expect this season and who are some of the featured guests?
Thank you! I’m really excited about this season. I’m going to be talking to authors, media personalities, as well as new and established artists. It’s really important to me to talk about Country music but to also have meaningful and fun discussions about pop culture and more.
Going back to where it started in 2020, how did the idea for Color Me Country begin, and why was it important to you?
The idea for Color Me Country was born out of a perfect storm of events. The first was the fact that I am completely fascinated by music history. I wouldn’t call myself a historian, but I am definitely a “fun fact” person. So much so that one of my best friends suggested I do a podcast to talk about all of this, but I never thought I had the time.
The next piece was that 2020 marked the 50th anniversary of the release of Color Me Country, the debut album of the first Black woman to chart on the Billboard Country charts and play the Grand Ole Opry, Linda Martell. This was also around the same time that Country music and its acknowledgement of Black artists was a hot topic. Topping all that was the start of the pandemic. I suddenly had all the time in the world!
I decided that Color Me Country was the perfect name for a show that would be a safe place for artists of color to tell their honest stories without fear of backlash or being misunderstood. While I’ve had a great relationship with media throughout my career, there have been times that I either felt unable to say what I really felt or like they didn’t really understand my perspective.
Black artists have always been part of virtually every genre of music history in the United States, including country. Can you tell us about some of the musicians who have inspired you growing up, who often get overlooked or written out of history books?
This is a loaded question! As I mentioned before, I love history and facts, so preparing for this show has been like a treasure hunt. Names and facts that would have been lost to time are now just a Google search away. For starters, we know that the Black influence on Country music starts at its roots with the banjo, a universal symbol of the Appalachia and southern roots music. The instrument is a descendant of West African lutes, made from gourds that were brought to America byslaves and which became a central part of enslaved peoples’ music and culture in the South.
In fact, the Jola people came up with what we call “claw hammer style”. Soon, the instrument was modified, appropriated, and spread to white audiences through minstrel and blackface shows — which in turn formed part of the foundation of hillbilly music, aka Country music. We also know that in addition to a particular banjo style that originated in Africa, there is early fiddle tradition that comes from there as well. Musicians like Joe Thompson, who was a mentor and muse for the young Carolina Chocolate Drops, passed down this distinct style to modern Black fiddlers.
We also know about Lesley Riddle, a Black preacher, guitar player, and early A&R for the Carter Family. He not only picked and taught the Carter Family many of the songs they turned into Country music cannon, he also greatly influenced the fingerpicking guitar style of Maybelle Carter, who is considered one of the most influential guitarists of all time.
In the 2004 documentary, Waiting in the Wings, Hank Williams Jr. touts Rufus “Tee Tot” Payne as a life changing mentor to a young Hank Williams, one of the icons of Country music. But, did you know Gus Cannon, a gifted Black musician who often had to put on blackface to perform, taught a young Johnny Cash? Or about Arnold Schultz, who Bill Monroe, “The Father of Bluegrass,” often praised his invaluable mentorship?
I’ve learned about jazz legend Louis Armstrong and his wife, jazz pianist Lil Armstrong who collaboration with “The Father of Country Music,” Jimmie Rodgers on “Blue Yodel Number 9.” And we can’t forget seminal harmonica player and original Grand Ole Opry pioneer, DeFord Bailey, whose performances are as iconic and well known as the Opry itself.
Without Ray Charles’ genre defining masterpiece, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music in the 60s, who knows if there would have been a Charley Pride? And without Charley’s success, RCA Nashville wouldn’t have then signed Lenora Ross, the first Black woman to be signed to a major Country record label.
There is a direct line from Charley’s Hall-of-Fame worthy career to those of O.B. McClinton, Stoney Edwards, Cleve Francis, Darius Rucker, and Kane Brown. Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry and to date, the highest charting Black woman on the Billboard Country Chart, led the way for Virginia Kirby, Barbara Cooper, Ruby Falls, The Pointer Sisters, Dona Mason, Nisha Jackson, all the way to Mickey Guyton and I.
You are not only a celebrated and acclaimed artist, you are a voice and a leader in a genre that has stereotypically been very white, and male-driven. How is the country music genre changing these days?
While I see pockets of change in the business through initiatives like CMT Next Women of Country, Equal Access, and various cohorts and grants given by ACMs and CMAs, the biggest change is in the way artists are able to get their music out directly to the fans. Social media and streaming are the biggest tools of this moment to getting music out and artists of color are using to their advantage. They don’t cost as much as launching a radio campaign and they are easy access. Black women, especially, are killing it on streaming, showing that when the system is damn near impossible to get in, there are ways around it.
How do you define “Southern Soul”?
Southern Soul, to me, is the combination of Country style songwriting blended with a pop, Soul, and (touch of) Gospel sensibility.
What are some of the most enlightening or surprising things you have learned from the artists you’ve featured on Color Me Country so far?
The biggest lesson of doing this show is that my experiences as a Black woman in this space are pretty universal. There were so many times I felt alone and misunderstood and by having these conversations, my feelings were validated. A small sense of community was developed from there.
What kind of encouragement would you give to the young artist just making their way into the industry, looking at the path you have forged for yourself and so many others?
The biggest piece of advice I have for young artists is this: Know your “why”. Meaning, why are you doing this? Do you want to be famous or do you want to be a musician? What is unique about your voice, literally and figuratively? What do you bring to the table? Figure these things out and your path will be a little clearer.
If there is one thing you want listeners and fans to know when they tune into Color Me Country this season, what would it be?
I want the listener to have fun, discover new artists and music to follow, and learn something you didn’t know before.
You can tune in to ‘Color Me Country Radio‘ streaming on Apple Music Radio. Follow Rissi Palmer on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and take a look at more of her work on her website.
