Today is my late father's 105th birthday. Happy Birthday dad; I love you; I miss you!
Last year, Beyoncé teased her then upcoming new Country Album, “Cowboy Carter,” during halftime of Super Bowl LVIII, held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ten days later, I blogged about Queen Bey’s foray into Country Music. Presciently, at the time, I mused what it might be like for Beyoncé to be nominated for Grammy’s or Country Music Awards this year. She was nominated by both, and while she was received 12 nominations for People’s Choice Country Music Awards, she was snubbed, going 0-for-12. Conversely, after garnering 11 Grammy nominations, she captured 3 Awards, winning for best Country Duo/Group performance, (along with Miley Cyrus), for the Top Country Music Album Award, and for the pièce de resistance, Album of the Year. Her 11 nominations elevated her record for total Grammy nominations to 99, and her 3 wins pushed her record total Grammys to 35. With that, kick back, and check out what I wrote about Bey and Country Music a year ago.
I am well on the way to my 17th year as a Blogger, Content Creator, or whatever other term you choose as your preferred euphemism. In sixteen and a half years, I have made over 850 blog posts. The range of topics I have tackled run the gamut, and include, among other things, politics, history, sports, holidays, healthcare, education, race, America, labor, wars, personalities, and travel, just to cite a dozen categories. One thing I have never written about, and in full disclosure, have never contemplated writing about, is Country Music. Decades ago, I heard a Country Music singer say, “The Country in Country Music, is America.” While admittedly, not a fan of the genre, then or now, I must admit, the moment I heard the guy say that I thought it was profound. I still believe that to be true.
Yesterday, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter’s new song, “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted as the Number 1 song on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Even if it’s only a paragraph, I must write about that. Imagine Bey being featured/nominated for one or more awards in the Country category at the 2025 Grammy’s, or at the Country Music Association Awards Show next year. We all know Bey & Jay are music royalty. When they make music, they make news. That’s been the case, since long before the two became the power couple they are today. For them, grabbing headlines in the music world is virtually de rigueur. But even by that standard, this is different.
Let’s not get it twisted though. Black folks are not new to this country music thing. The first “string bands” in this country were comprised of enslaved people. Moreover, the root of country music is blues, of which Santi Elijah Holley said, “It’s Black as hell.” When I was growing up, Charley Pride, was the Country sensation of the era. In 1962, Ray Charles released his 17th album, entitled, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. He went on to earn a Grammy for Album of the Year. Oh yeah, lest I forget to mention it, Beyoncé’s other new country song “16 Carriages” ranks No. 9 on the Billboard Country Music chart. Yes, in addition to debuting at Number 1, she also has a second Billboard Country Music chart Top 10 hit.
Today, there are several successful Black artists, popular for their singing country music, including Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown, Jimmy Allen, Brittney Spencer, and Willie Jones. They are all fine artists. However, none of them is Beyoncé, who has collected 88 Nominations, and 32 Grammy Awards: both, the most in history. Incidentally, Jay-Z has also garnered 88 Nominations, tying “his Bey” for most ever, to accompany his 24 Grammy Awards. Yes, that’s right, between the two of them, they have earned 176 Grammy Nominations, and 56 Grammy Awards.
In landing her first-ever No. 1 single on the country charts, Beyoncé enters rare air. She became only the second solo woman with no accompanying artists to achieve the feat. Taylor Swift, whose songs “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” and “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” hit No. 1 in 2021.
Bey is also the first woman to have topped both the Hot Country and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts since the lists began in 1958. Morgan Wallen, Justin Bieber, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Ray Charles are the only other artists to have reached No. 1 on both charts.
Her current hits, “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em,” were released Feb. 11, after Beyoncé teased the release of new music in a surprise Super Bowl ad for Verizon. She also announced her eighth solo studio album “Renaissance Act II” is scheduled for release March 29, 2024. “Bey Watch: This Is My “Country Redux ‘25!””
I’m done; holla back!
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Subsequent editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/11/entertainment/beyonce-new-music-super-bowl-ad/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/11/entertainment/beyonce-new-music-super-bowl-ad/index.html
https://www.vulture.com/article/beyonce-cowboy-carter-album-of-the-year.html
https://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/2025/02/bey-watch-this-is-my-country-redux-25.html
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