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Changing Nashville

As America becomes more diverse so does its music

(Left to right) Darius Rucker, Mickey Guyton and T.J. Osborne Peter Yang/August; Denise Truscello/Getty Images; Robby Klein/Contour/Getty Images Country music has traditionally been slow to acknowledge societal changes, and white performers have dominated the genre. Over the years, there have been a few stars of color, but in 2019, the real bomb dropped. “I think it’s pretty amazing,” offers documentarian , “that the number 1 country single of all time is by a gay Black cowboy.”
Burns is referencing “Old Town Road,” by Lil Nas X, a song that was then so controversial that the initial recording of the song was deemed outside the bounds of the genre and pulled from the country charts. It recharted soon after, when Billy Ray Cyrus collaborated with Lil Nas X on a new version. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Today there is more diversity in country music than ever. Black artists include Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown (who is biracial), Brittney Spencer, Willie Jones and Breland. Gay artists, including T.J. Osborne of the Brothers Osborne and Chely Wright, are also finding more acceptance. And Latino artists are expanding their country profiles beyond Freddy Fender, Johnny Rodriguez and Rick Trevino, particularly with Alex Garrido and Kat Luna, known as Kat & Alex. artisteer/Getty Images

Celebrating Country Music

When it comes to race, Beverly Keel, dean of the College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University, sees three main factors at work today. The industry has discovered that the audience will accept talented artists of color. The cultural effect of George Floyd’s murder prompted a sort of racial reckoning in America. And, Keel says, “there was an erroneous, widespread belief that African Americans weren’t interested in making country music.” Country did have a Black radio star as far back as the late 1920s, in DeFord Bailey, a harmonica player and mainstay of the Grand Ole Opry for nearly two decades. But with the exception of Charley Pride, who had a long and successful career, Black artists would hit the charts in recent decades like pebbles in a pond, rather than crashing waves. From the ’70s through the ’90s, only a few Black musicians charted with singles. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > “It’s 2022. I think people are opening their eyes, ears and hearts,” Brown says. “There is absolutely room to make more progress. But the truth is, this has always been a format with fans that looked and are diverse, but the industry hasn’t always fully reflected that. I am hopeful that by the time my daughter is a little older, she sees herself when she looks at all areas of entertainment, including country music.” For gay artists, the road has been similarly bumpy but is starting to smooth out. In early 2021, T.J. Osborne came out, saying, “I’m ready to put this behind me.” In so doing, he became the first mainstream country artist to make such an announcement while in the prime of his career. Chely Wright, best known for the singles “Shut Up and Drive” and “Single White Female,” took it on the chin when she came out in 2010. She says the distress over her sexuality and career nearly drove her to suicide. After the publication of her memoir, Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer, the work dried up. By then she was heavily into activism. AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe More on entertainment AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS