Thread by @TheRealHoarse

Hot on the heels of me sharing something from Emily Scott Robinson about country music’s refusal to do better, here is another musician you should know.

Per my post about Robinson, I vet my musical recommendations for character.

Joy Oladukon is great.

1/

https://twitter.com/joyoladokun/status/1480180052058910720

I saw @joyoladokun open for Jason Isbell this fall. My entire crew were instant fans. She was fantastic.

Find her on streaming platforms. See her live.

And hats off to @JasonIsbell. He showcases diverse, amazing talent on his tours.

2/

Country/Americana are at a crossroads. The culture will either evolve toward new relevance or devolve into the backwards, hickish stereotype that has held it back for decades.

The industry must choose: does it want to be no bigger than a soundtrack for small-minded bigotry?

3/

There is nothing unique, different, interesting or special about whoever is the Beers, Babes, and Bibles poster boy du jour.

The people with something to say are artists like @MickeyGuyton, @RhiannonGiddens, @amythystkiah, @joyoladokun, et al.

Choose your fighter.

4/

I actually love Country and Americana. I always have. And I have to couch it with that exact phrasing because the culture of those genres has made it very hard to say out loud without qualification or excuse.

5/

Country/Americana will move past its bigoted past or we will move on from Country/Americana.

We’ll splinter off into a new and different genre. Neo Country/Americana.

It will be a diverse community of marginalized voices and proud allies.

And the shows will be epic.

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