Sun Records & NMAAM To Host An Evening Celebrating Linda Martell

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Linda Martell will be honored by Sun Records and the National Museum of African American Music at a special public event June 4 at the museum’s Roots Theater.

The event celebrates her groundbreaking album Color Me Country, the kickoff to Black Music Month, and the May 16 induction of her hit single “Color Him Father” into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The evening will include a video tribute honoring Martell’s life and legacy, a panel discussion exploring Martell’s impact and the evolving space for Black voices in country music and live performances and appearances from artists she inspired, including jazz vocalist and social commentator Dara Tucker, country and Americana artist Amythyst Kiah, rock & blues pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph and country artist and host of the Color Me Country podcast Rissi Palmer.

In 1969, Martell became the first Black woman to chart on country radio and the first to perform on the Grand Ole Opry, breaking barriers and rewriting the narrative of what country music could be. That same year, her rendition of “Color Him Father” became a Top 25 hit, launching a career that would shape generations of artists.

Sun Records helped reintroduce Martell’s music to a new generation in 2022, when the label remastered and reissued her landmark album Color Me Country as part of its 70th-anniversary celebration. Originally released on Plantation Records, the album’s revival affirmed Martell’s enduring influence and deepened the label’s commitment to preserving her legacy.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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