• ABOUT
    • Contact
    • The Team
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Events
    • FAQ
    • Use & Privacy Policy
  • ADVERTISE
  • ROWFAX
  • THE SPORTS CREDENTIAL
  • JOB LISTINGS
MusicRow.com
  • CALENDARS
    • Album/EP Releases
    • Single/Track Releases
    • Industry Events
  • OBITS
  • CHARTS
    • Radio Chart (Current)
    • Radio Chart (Archives)
    • No. 1 Challenge Coin
    • Songwriter Chart (Current)
    • Songwriter Chart (Archives)
  • REVIEWS
  • MY STORY
  • NEWSLETTER
    • Newsletter (Current)
    • SIGN UP (FREE!)
    • Newsletter (Archives)
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • STORE
  • Search
  • Menu

Bobby Karl Works The Room: Country’s Black Artists Join Hands In Documentary

April 5, 2022/in Uncategorized /by Bobby Karl

Pictured (L-R): Howard Gentry, Brittney Spencer, Siyyad Love, guest, Frankie Staton, Mike Floss, Marcus Dowling, BRELAND, Reyna Roberts, Willie Jones, Blanco Brown, Joshua Kissi, Shy Carter, Amythyst Kiah, Amazon Music’s Raymond Roker

Bobby Karl Works The Room

Chapter 653

Plenty of historic events take place at the Country Music Hall of Fame, but the For Love & Country party there on Monday (April 4) emerged as a true landmark.

As any country fan can tell you, the second decade of the 21st century has witnessed an unprecedented influx of Black artists into the genre. For Love & Country is a documentary film that celebrates this phenomenon, and Monday’s event was the movie’s premiere.

It was also an unprecedented summit meting of today’s Black country talent. Gathered in one spot for the first time were Blanco Brown, Shy Carter, Breland, Reyna Roberts, Brittney Spencer, Amythyst Kiah, Willie Jones and Frankie Staton. Also in the film, but unable to attend were Mickey Guyton, Jimmie Allen, Allison Russell, Rhiannon Giddens and Valerie June.

The Black country population is now so large that Rissi Palmer, Kane Brown, Chapel Hart, Wendy Moten, Tiera Kennedy, Tony Jackson, Charley Crockett, Darius Rucker, Aaron Vance, Paula Boggs, Sacha, Spensha Baker, Karen McCormick, Dalton Dover and many more didn’t find themselves either at the party or in the movie.

Pictured (L-R): Moderator Marcus Dowling, Willie Jones, Breland, Amythyst Kiah, Blanco Brown, Mike Floss, Shy Carter, Frankie Staton, Joshua Kissi, Reyna Roberts, Brittney Spencer. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Amazon Music

“I think we are all better for having so much more representation,” said Spencer. “I’m proud to be country and proud to be Black.”

“Music has no color,” added Brown. “I don’t chase radio; I chase purpose. It’s a privilege to be here.”

“We’re a part of healing the world,” said Jones. “ My dream was to see other Black people show their love of country music. Just being a part of this story is a blessing.”

“I’m glad to see everybody up here who is pushing the mission forward,” commented Carter. “It is a mission. It’s important.”

“Up here,” was a panel discussion prior to the screening that was moderated by Marcus K. Dowling, the first Black country-music reporter at The Tennessean. “There is an actual change happening, and it’s represented on this stage tonight,” he said. “History is written by victors: These are the victors….We’re having songs that are changing the conversation.”

Others from Nashville’s African-American community who celebrated this historic gathering included Howard Gentry, Eric Holt, Shannon Sanders, Sharon Gentry and Mike Floss. The premiere was also attended by Missi Gallimore, Kelly Sutton, Jensen Sussman, Julianne Cassidy, Charlotte Burke Bass, Clay Bradley and a large group of young hipsters.

“This is a MOMENT,” observed Bradley, about the Black-country gathering.

The cocktail reception featured roving photographers, open bars and a wait staff circulating with crab cakes, tuna-on-cucumber, hot-chicken skewers, fried green tomatoes, mini BLTs, beef cubes and other taste ticklers. Afterward, guests sampled sweets from a dessert buffet. The Ford Theater was completely festooned with spring flowers, framing the venue’s entry, cascading down its aisles and bedecking the front of the stage. Massed pillar candles flickered where flavored popcorn beckoned.

For Love & Country is an Amazon Music production. It will be released on April 7 on the Amazon Music app and Prime Video. Acclaimed New York filmmaker/photographer Joshua Kissi directed. “I felt like I was a conduit, to be a modern-day storyteller,” said Kissi. “I came in as a spectator. Now I feel like I am at home.”

Back in 1996, Frankie Staton cofounded a Black Country Music Association. “I knew this was possible,” she reflected. “I never dreamed I would see it.”

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Bobby Karl
Latest posts by Bobby Karl (see all)
  • Bobby Karl Works The Room: Belmont Celebrates Minnie Pearl Film - January 20, 2023
  • Bobby Karl Works The Room: Recording Academy Tosses Fab Bash For Grammy Nominees - January 19, 2023
  • Bobby Karl Works The Room: Gospel Great Dr. Bobby Jones Honored At NMAAM - January 17, 2023
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/For-Love-and-Country-poster-scaled.jpg 1707 2560 Bobby Karl https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png Bobby Karl2022-04-05 16:00:232022-04-05 16:00:23Bobby Karl Works The Room: Country’s Black Artists Join Hands In Documentary

RECENT NEWS

  • Steven Curtis Chapman Signs With One:Eight Entertainment February 2, 2023
  • Keith Urban, Tim McGraw Among Headliners For Canada’s Boots & Hearts Festival February 2, 2023
  • Jay Allen Signs With APA February 2, 2023
  • DISClaimer Single Reviews: Deborah Allen ‘Proves She’s Still A World-Class Singer’ February 2, 2023
  • Music Health Alliance Celebrates 10 Years Of Service February 2, 2023
  • SOURCE Announces 2023 Board February 2, 2023
  • Chris Stapleton Adds ‘All-American Road Show’ Dates For 2023 February 2, 2023
  • Geoff Warburton Inks Joint Pub Deal With Big Machine Music, Range Media Partners February 2, 2023
  • Dream 3 Publishing Signs Flagship Songwriter Ben Caver February 2, 2023
  • Endurance Music Group Announces Promotion, Staff Addition February 1, 2023
  • CMA Announces 13th Triple Play Awards Recipients February 1, 2023
  • Russell Sutton, Tommy Karlas Ink With Sony Music Publishing & Droptine February 1, 2023
  • Leadership Music Now Accepting Applications For Class Of 2024 February 1, 2023
  • Hit Songwriter Peter McCann Dies At Age 74 February 1, 2023
  • BMI Promotes LuAnn Davidson & Nina Carter February 1, 2023

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Twitter

Tweets by MusicRow
© 2023 Music Row Enterprises, LLC – All rights reserved.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Scroll to top