In the midst of this #KMichelle/#LilNasX/#WranglerJeans conversation about black people in Country music, I've heard several incorrect statements that I'd like to personally clear up. I'm glad everyone is excited and ready to be a fan and support, let's just have correct facts.
One incorrect statement that has been repeatedly made is that there hasn't been one black female to chart on the Country charts. That is NOT true. Here are the black women that have charted on @billboard in Country music:
Linda Martell was the first in 1969 with "Color Him Father"(she was also the first blk woman on the @opry. She was ironically signed to a record label called Plantation Records 😑)
The Pointer Sisters in 1974 with "Fairytale" (Nominated twice in the country category for this song & became the first all-female group to ever win a @Grammy award when they received the prize for Best Country Vocal Performance by a duo or group in 1975),
Dona Mason in 1987 with "Green Eyes (Cryin’ Those Blue Tears)”, @RissiPalmer in 2007 with "Country Girl" and again in 2008 with "Hold on To Me" and "No Air" (a cover of the @JordinSparks and @chrisbrown pop hit), and
@MickeyGuyton in 2015 with "Better than You Left Me", 2016 with "Heartbreak Song", "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" (Frozen cover), & "Why Baby Why" (she was nominated for an Academy of Country Music New Female Vocalist of the Year award in 2016 and is currently on tour with
the @CMT Next Women of Country Music tour). I speak for myself and these women when I say that we all worked HARD for our place in music history and deserve to be recognized and have the facts reported correctly. Thank for coming to my TED talk... have a great Thursday 😘
Also... shout out to the countless numbers of black women making country music right now who have never charted but still matter.
In 1977, Ruby Falls charted with "Got to Mend This Heartache" (thanks @Hey_Hey_Paula63 for that info) and Anita Pointer had a #2 hit with Earl Thomas Conley in 1986 called "Too Many Times" (thank you @SunsetSydneyWes for that info).
