The Evolution of Country Music: Black Artists, Forgotten Roots, and a New Era

When you think of country music, who comes to mind? For too long, Black artists have been overlooked in a genre they helped shape. While country music is often tied to white Southern culture, its roots tell a much more diverse story — one that includes deep Black influence. 

Country music’s early foundations can be traced to British folk traditions, with settlers bringing ballads, hymns, and storytelling songs to America. Instruments like the fiddle and mandolin played a big role in shaping the genre’s sound. But country’s identity didn’t form by being segregated. It was heavily influenced by the musical traditions of enslaved Africans in the South, including hymns, spirituals, and field songs, which were rooted in African music. These songs often expressed their experiences of hardship and resilience, and they served as a form of cultural expression and community building. 

Black musicians introduced unique rhythms, vocal styles, and most notably, the banjo, which has African origins. This blending of sounds shaped what would eventually become country music. However, In the 1850s, minstrel shows, a form of racist entertainment, became popular, often featuring white performers in blackface, mocking Black culture and music, including the banjo. Despite these contributions, early country music was marketed as “hillbilly music” for white audiences, while Black musicians were pushed into “race records,” such as blues, jazz, and gospel, reinforcing the idea that country music wasn’t their space. 

A new generation of artists of African descent appears to finally be making inroads in country music — a genre that has traditionally proven difficult for Black artists, especially women, to successfully break into and sustain a long career. Some might not associate people of African 

descent with country music, but the genre — once labeled “hillbilly music” — evolved through cultural exchange between Black and white communities in the American South. 

I remember after the Super Bowl, Beyoncé dropped two new country singles, teasing her album Cowboy Carter — the second act in her Renaissance trilogy — which turned out to be a celebration of country music. The album, which recently won three Grammys, honored Black people's influence and cultural impact in the genre. 

For nearly a year after the initial drop and her 2024 Beyonce Bowl performance, conversations about Beyoncé’s dive into country music dominated headlines. Some praised her for highlighting Black country roots, while others criticized her presence in the genre. Regardless of the reactions, the album reignited important conversations about who gets to claim country music.

While many contemporary listeners first associated Black artists with country music through Lil Nas X’s 2018 “country-trap” hit Old Town Road, Black people have been writing, performing, and recording country music since the 1920s. It wouldn’t exist as it does today without the contributions and innovations of Black musicians. 

For generations, Black Southerners — especially those raised in the deep South — struggled to proudly embrace their Southern roots. Society often portrayed the South as a space where only white identities could thrive. Despite these barriers, pioneers like DeFord Bailey, one of the earliest stars of the Grand Ole Opry, and Charley Pride, a country legend who broke racial barriers, paved the way for future Black artists. 

Today, a fresh wave of Black artists is gaining recognition in the genre. Artists like Shaboozey are blending traditional country sounds with modern influences, bringing a renewed energy to country music. 

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album not only paid tribute to Black contributions to country music but also spotlighted rising Black women in the genre. Her moving rendition of The Beatles' Blackbird featured Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Brittney Spencer, and Reyna Roberts — all carving their paths and proving they deserve a seat at the table. These artists have since gained serious traction in the country space, earning respect as authentic voices in the genre. 

For decades, the music industry has boxed Black musicians into hip-hop and R&B, often ignoring their place in country, rock, or pop. Record labels, radio stations, and award shows have historically reinforced this divide, even when an artist’s sound aligns more with country. 

This pattern isn’t just about sound — it’s about image too. The industry’s long association of country music with white Southern culture has made it difficult for Black artists to break through without being seen as outsiders. 

For example, when Lil Nas X released Old Town Road, the track was initially removed from Billboard's country charts despite its clear country elements. Similarly, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter faced backlash from some country fans, despite being deeply rooted in traditional country themes and sounds. This pattern isn’t just about sound — it’s about image too. The industry has long associated country music with white Southern culture, while Black artists have been expected to fit into spaces like hip-hop and R&B. As a result when Black musicians explore country music, they’re often met with skepticism or told they’re “not country enough,” despite the genre’s deep Black roots. 

Take Post Malone, for example — he transitioned from hip-hop and rap to country with little to no backlash. Similarly, Morgan Wallen has been able to mix a country tone with pop or R&B-inspired beats without question. Yet when Beyoncé blended country with elements of

gospel, R&B, and soul in Cowboy Carter, creating something fresh and innovative, it sparked outrage from some country fans. 

And we all know what the problem is. 

But the truth is clear: Black musicians have always belonged in country music — and today, they’re claiming their space louder than ever. And those who think the opposite, as Beyoncé declared in her track American Requiem, “Those old ideas are buried here.”

Written by Diamond Durant