Linda Martell - "Color Him Father" (1970)

**Beyoncé's latest album 'Cowboy Carter' spotlights Linda Martell, a pioneer and trailblazer who paved the way for Black country music artists, as she was the first commercially successful Black female artist in the genre.

Cowboy Carter Review

sorry if i write a lot. i like to yap lol

Ameriican Requiem- i'm a huge sucker for a sitar so i was gripped in from the beginning. i grew up on country music (mainly 90s/early 2000s) and so when she showed up at the CMAs and performed with the chicks it was a childhood dream. but as a person who liked country music around the time 9/11 happened, it's only become even more racist since. the way they treated her that night even though she was one of, if not THE, best performer of the night was so upsetting to watch. even as the best artist on the planet, at the top of her game, she's always going to work a million times harder than any of her peers. i'm so proud of her being able to make a song like to this to put her thoughts out on the whole night that night.

Blackbiird- obviously everyone has heard this song before. i was unaware of the actual backstory to the song since i don't follow the beatles too much (i like george harrison but that's about it lol). i was not aware that the song the song was written for black women during the civil rights movement. i assumed the song was mainly written by john lennon who to my knowledge was kind of a grifter when it came to his activism. having this song come right after ameriican requiem is so poetic.

16 Carriages- shockingly i was able to avoid hearing this song in full until tonight. i tend to only do one single per release and so texas hold em was the one. this song is so heartbreaking because i think about all the kids in the entertainment industry who can probably relate to this song all too well

Protector- these songs she makes for her kids... i'm gonna need her to stop. not because they're bad but i straight up can't listen to blue and probably this song because i want a mom like this 😭

My Rose- i hate that this is an interlude. it's so beautiful and not to be dramatic should've been 10 hours long

Smoke Hour • Willie Nelson- idk what to say about this one lol

Texas Hold 'Em- i love this song. the only problem i have with it is it sounds too clean. like the production sounds too clean. maybe it sounds better on the radio where the quality is lower than streaming but its definitely a song that needs to be played not so isolated.

Bodyguard- there's something in this song. she channeled carole king for this on or something. it's so good instantly a top 20 if not top 10 song of hers through her whole discography.

Dolly P- once again idk what to say about this one its too short to say anything

Jolene- i mean i think the same way about her version as i do about dolly's version. why are we getting mad at these women when we should be getting mad at the men?? take away that beyonce is beyonce for a second. if she was a normal lady and this girl was unaware her man was taken, isn't that more on him than anyone? he's letting it happen.

Daughter- her voice in this song is insanity. the control she has is unmatched truly.

Spaghettii- the beat omgggg. i know this would hit so hard in a mashup with "my house" i'm obsessed.

Alliigator Tears- just from hearing snippets of the country music that's on the radio nowadays, i think this might be one of the few songs from this album that they will eat up. i'm not saying that as a diss at all. i love this song alot especially after a second listen.

Smoke Hour II- i guess i can add on here a random tid bit. i made a country playlist in preperation for the album to come out. i made it on valentine's day. tell me why i named it KNTRY. i didn't even know the "radio station" she has on the album was called that lol.

Just for Fun- i don't listen to lana del rey anymore. i had a small time during last year where i did but then she got real messy again and signed that letter thanking joe biden. that being said this song sounds identical to "norman fucking rockwell". which is a compliment because both are good songs. keep jack antonoff away from beyonce though. that's the good thing about beyonce is she doesn't sound like everyone else which he makes everyone do (yes i am a fan of him but i'm critical of his production lol)

II Most Wanted- i'm sorry i've never been a fan of miley cyrus (except for the song she did for black mirror and that one EP she put out). i want to like this song because i like aspects of the song but it being a miley cyrus song with a beyonce feature is not want i want.

Levii's Jeans- this is also a collab i'm not a fan of. i actually enjoy post malone but i would've liked to see them in a more upbeat song.

Flamenco- idk how to take this song. it's stunning as usual. my thoughts on the lyrics though is she's kinda talking to fans maybe like the OG like destiny's child fans who have started to leave because she's starting to experiment more with her sound and they miss her old sound. i would love to know her take on this song in particular. because i know so many artists who decide to change their sound throughout each release are terrified of losing fans because they're so stuck on a certain sound.

The Linda Martell Show- another one i can't say much on since it's an interlude

Ya Ya- now.... remember what i said about bodyguard??? easily top 10. idk where on my ranking but it's there. the interpolation of "these boots were made for walking" and "good vibrations". there's something about that old soul rock sound that gets me every single time. i know that it doesn't sound anything alike but "freedom" has that same vibe, where it takes alot from old 60s blues soul rock. this is gonna hit so good on tour!

Oh Louisiana- i will say i really like this interlude. second favorite out of the ones with actual music

Desert Eagle- another song she chose to make extremely short when it should've been hours long... come on B

Riiverdance- its a fun and cute song. i think the beat is good but i think i like it more on my first listen.

II Hands II Heaven- i'm hoping this will finally click for me. im seeing everyone really love this song but idk whats not clicking for me. i'll definitely keep listening to it though maybe someday.

Tyrant- someone said this is the thique of cowboy carter and yeah i can definitely hear it. it's a sexy song and it's a fun song. definitely like it alot more after a second listen

Sweet • Honey • Buckiin'- her sampling "i fall to pieces" in this song is so special to me. i do want someone to take this "honey" and add it to the end of pure/honey though i wonder if it would sound any good. i think sweet and buckiin are the best songs out of the three of these.

Amen- i love how this really rounds out the album, calling back to the first song. it feels and is a very emotional song. don't know if i'll go back to it only because i think it could make me cry lol

overall, i think it's a solid album. if we're comparing the acts, which idk how you can because they're two distinctly different sounds, i would probably still go with renaissance but there's still so many solid songs on this album that are now some of my top faves. usually i rate out of 10 but it feels too low tbh, so i'm rating it out of 100. it will definitely grow on me just like renaissance did. 89/100.

the artistry of cowboy carter is monumental. sampling black bird - a song about the struggles of a black woman during the civil rights movement - and using it to pass the torch to a new generation of black country girlies. a dolly and willie nelson - two elder statesmen of the country genre - feature thereby confirming the genre as country to anyone who would dare argue otherwise. the linda martell show being in reference to linda martell the first successful black woman in the country circuit. the track list design paying homage to chitlin circuit; a series of venues in the Jim Crow south that would host black musicians during segregation. a good vibration by the beach boys sample. and a goddamn jolene sample (and dolly doesn’t just let anyone sample her discography). there are so many layers to cowboy carter i fear i may be analysing for a good while.

Repost:

Born and raised in Leesville, South Carolina, as Thelma Bynem, Linda Martell went on to become the first commercially successful Black female artist in country music. She gained popularity with her hit single, “Color Him Father,” and became the first Black female solo artist to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, and appeared on the TV show, “Hee Haw.” She now lives in Irmo, SC, and told Rolling Stone magazine that her career was marred and shortened by racism. #BHM2024

Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Spotlights Black Country Music Pioneer Linda Martell

Beyoncé’s new album, “Cowboy Carter,” has shined a light on a country music pioneer that many people may not know.

One of the album’s tracks is called “The Linda Martell Show,” which is an intro to the song “Ya Ya.” Martell appears on that track, as well as the song “Spaghetti.” Though Linda Martell, 82, has a long history in country music, many who are unfamiliar with her name and her vocals, are asking the question: Who is Linda Martell?

In 1970, Martell released “Color Me Country” which featured the hit “Color Him Father,” a cover of a song by The Winstons. The album also included such popular songs as “Bad Case of the Blues,” “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” and “You’re Crying Boy, Crying.”

Rolling Stone said that her album, which was described as “a mix of honky-tonk spunk and heartbreak balladry, all infused with her roots in gospel and R&B,” led Martell to become the first solo Black woman country artist to play the Grand Ole Opry.

“During that time,” Rolling Stone reports, “She also appeared on the hugely popular syndicated country variety show ‘Hee Haw’ and shared stages with country artists like Hank Snow and Waylon Jennings.”

Lindamartell.com also touts her as “a pioneering force hailed as the unsung hero of the genre” who “had the highest peaking single on the Billboard Hot Country Singles (now Songs) chart at #22, ‘Color Him Father,’ by a Black female country artist in the history of the genre in 1969, until Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ’Em” debuted at #1 on February 21, 2024.” -(source: nbc news)

DNA America

“It’s what we know, not what you want us to believe.”

#dna #dnaamerica #news #politics

COWBOY CARTER Beyoncé — 2024

★★★★☆

Beyoncé is back. And what a comeback! A new heavily country inspired album that took 10 years to create. With A-list guests and a brand new experience for us to live : the KNTRY radio station is now airing with 'Yoncé experimenting again with sounds and genres in a brand new way, this time with country.

Almost two years after the release of RENAISSANCE, she comes back stronger as ever on AMERIICAN REQUIEM, a track that merges what Beyoncé is at her best with a new take on country, harmonies and synths. A really strong start that sets the tone as well as the level for the rest of the album.

The record being driven with numerous interludes keeps the listener captivated throughout the 78 minutes album. Every track sounds like a new experience taking us to new horizons while still letting the project remain cohesive and sounding like a fresh take on country music.

This album feels like it's a great celebration of country music all while experimenting on new ways of blending it with modern music. It also is a (re)claim of country music and culture which history roots back heavily to black people. Everybody remembers how her song Daddy Lessons got received by Americans in 2016. COWBOY CARTER is her way of saying a big F*CK YOU in the face of anybody saying that she doesn't belong to the genre.

At first, this album might not be as ground breaking as act i — which was pushing the boundaries of pop music with modern takes on house music — but act ii is definitely doing it too in its own way.

The production is very pleasing, well written and touching lyrics over beautifully crafted harmonies on top of well thought melodies are what drives the project.

While trying to experiment, it sometimes feels like it's a bit too much, especially on tracks such as SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIN' that can feel like it's messy or OH LOUISIANA that just makes not much sense being just a poorly pitched up sample. The rest of the tracks is pretty solid though.

COWBOY CARTER is a strong record with its own personality and universe on which Beyoncé goes back to her personal roots. It is not her best album ever but if anything, it absolutely solidifies her status as a music legend.

BODYGUARD — 9,8

YA YA — 9,6

JOLENE — 9,5

RIIVERDANCE — 9,4

AMERIICAN REQUIEM — 9,4

TEXAS HOLD 'EM — 9,2

II MOST WANTED — 9,2

BLACKBIRD — 9,0

DAUGHTER — 8,7

AMEN — 8,6

JUST FOR FUN — 8,6

II HANDS II HEAVEN — 8,6

PROTECTOR — 8,4

TYRANT — 8,4

LEVII'S JEANS — 8,2

ALLIGATOR TEARS — 7,9

DESERT EAGLE — 7,4

MY ROSE — 7,3

FLAMENCO — 6,8

SPAGHETTII — 6,1

16 CARRIAGES — 6,0

SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIN' — 5,3

OH LOUISIANA — 3,0

SMOKE HOUR ★ WILLIE NELSON — interlude

DOLLY — interlude

SMOKE HOUR II — interlude

THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW — interlude Total : 8/10

the linda martell of it all though like, a black woman entering into the country space with immeasurable racist resistance, to the point where she famously endured racial slurs and harassment at her shows despite her success. that harassment never ended until she left country music after a few short years, which wasn't completely because of that harassment (she was blackmailed by producers among other things) but you have to imagine it didn't give her a reason to stay in Nashville. mirroring beyoncé's first foray into country music with daddy lessons and the same racist treatment from Nashville, less public than linda endured but no less demoralizing. Beyoncé, having influence and power her forebears weren't allowed to have, used it to push down the doors and insist upon her presence in this genre, whether she's welcome or not. and even putting Linda on this album and using her as part of a trio of emcees of country elders, further highlighting how willie and dolly are longstanding pillars of country music's history and Linda was never allowed to be, both celebrating Linda while also forcing you to confront what's been done to black artists. how even though Beyoncé was BEYONCÉ she still wasn't able to escape the racism of Nashville that harmed black country artists over 50 years ago and hasn't changed much at all today. "a pretty house we never settled in" indeed! a house they built!!

The complete tracklist for Beyoncé’s "COWBOY CARTER":

1. AMERICAN REQUIEM

2. BLACKBIIRD

3. 16 CARRIAGES

4. PROTECTOR

5. MY ROSE

6. SMOKE HOUR WILLIE NELSON

7. TEXAS HOLD ‘EM

8. BODYGUARD

9. DOLLY P (ft. Dolly Parton)

10. JOLENE

11. DAUGHTER

12. SPAGHETTI II

13. ALLIIGATOR TEARS

14. SMOKE HOUR II

15. JUST FOR FUN

16. II MOST WANTED (ft. Miley Cyrus)

17. LEVII’S JEANS

18. FLAMENCO

19. THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW

20. YA YA

21. OH LOUISIANA

22. DESERT EAGLE

23. RIIVERDANCE

24. II HANDS II HEAVEN

25. AMEN

26. SWEET HONEY BUCKIN’

27. TYRANT

Beyoncé pulling up to sign ‘limited edition’ Cowboy Carter vinyl’s that she knows are a scam—wearing a Linda Martell T-shirt, when Linda is not on the ‘Limited edition’ vinyl version of Cowboy Carter due to it not featuring “Spaghetti” or “The Linda Martell Show” is very messy behaviour.

And to then post a video of the event using “Ya Ya”, when that song also is not on the vinyl version of the album!?

Messy behaviour act ii.

Beyoncé and her team have gotta do better for act iii. The whole rollout of the physical copies of Cowboy Carter has been an absolute mess. I really do hope there is a second press which features all of the songs, the horse cover, an inlay booklet of photos and full song credits—just as the case was with Renaissance.

6 albums i've been listening to (+1 standout track)

tagged by @vvanessaives thank u beloved rena!!!! 💜

cowboy carter - beyoncé - yaya - i have not been able to stop listening to this album since it came out... there are so many songs i could pick from this album as standouts for me but i think yaya is gonna be my pick! sure it's a country album on its surface and beyoncé definitely does honor country with it, but the album is also such a beautiful amalgamation of genres that blend together so well!!! and yaya is the perfect choice to show that fusion of genres especially with the prior interlude of "the linda martell show" explaining how genres are a "funny little concept" 🫶

preacher's daughter - ethel cain - sun bleached flies - this album... this fucking album... such a journey getting through it but completely worth it... and sun bleached flies is 100% my standout track because after following ethel's story throughout the whole album and hearing her death to her afterlife and then getting hit with this song?? it makes me cry every time i listen to it!!!!!

glow on - turnstile - holiday - my lovely friend nadia put me onto this album last month when she was getting ready to see this band in concert and it GAGGED MEEEEE i am not a huge listener of hardcore punk at all but as a newbie, this album was very accessible to me and SO much fun to listen to!!! and holiday was the song that stuck on the most for me on my first listen, it is SUCH a headbanger of a song, like i am so obsessed with it...

minisode 3: tomorrow - tomorrow x together - i'll see you there tomorrow - i'll see you there tomorrow is such a fun summer jam like it is completely different from everything else on this mini album but it was what stuck out to me the most on my first listen and i just keep coming back to it... it's like house-y and groovy, such a great listen!!

walk through fire - yola - love is light - another album introduced to me by my friend nadia!!! yola's voice in this song oh my days... she was SUCH a beautiful voice like it is so soothing and warm i can't describe it!! but she sings with such deep emotion too which is why i love listening to this song so much <3 like cowboy carter, something about country being sung by a Black woman is gonna do it for me every time...

unreal unearth - hozier - damage gets done (feat. brandi carlile) - i understood this on the first listen... this song is so over-hated for no reason, i don't understand why ppl dislike it!! it's such a perfect encapsulation of young, messy love and hozier and brandi's voices sound fantastic together... i love it!!!! and this whole album just WRECKED me on my first listen, like i spent half the album just crying :/

tagging - whoever sees this and wants to share their thoughts on some of their fave albums rn <333

The Linda Martell Show -> yaya -> oh Louisiana is such a god tier three track run. God was in that studio with Beyoncè

12/13/22.

Linda Martell (South Carolina) was (and still is) one of the rare Black American country artists. And while this does sound like old-school country (think early Dolly Parton or Buck Owens)...Martell also sounds like she could belong on a Coen brothers soundtrack) there are times where this has an undeniable soul or gospel feel. Think later era Elvis...only more country and way better. Martell performed at the Grand Ole Opry and even was on the country inspired TV show Hee Haw.

Sun Records has been doing an amazing job of reissuing older gems as well as curating compilations.

To get a great feel of Martell's sound listen to "San Francisco Is A Lonely Town", "Color Him Father", or "Old Letter Song".

This was reissued on vinyl back in 2014 by Sun Records and ORG Music. Sun Records released the digital files on Bandcamp in 2022.

i'm (hopefully) at home recovering from a minor heart procedure earlier this week but there's a new show set to air on wlur at 8pm tonight with two hours of (mostly broken) heart related songs. last week's show is also streaming on mixcloud and will air at 10pm tonight after the new show.

we also wrapped up our 'song quotes' theme last week. all semester long we've been starting shows off with a song that quotes lyrically from another song. we heard from: built to spill allo darlin, spiritualized, jeanines, okkervil river, hootie and the blowfish, car seat headrest, tori amos, uncle tupelo, vampire weekend, martha, the spinanes, destroyer, and u2.

no love for ned on wlur – april 12th, 2024 from 8-10pm

artist // track // album // label u2 // god, part ii // rattle and hum // island bodega // dedicated to the dedicated // our brand could be yr life // chrysalis armin // academic genius // armin cassette // lost sound tapes the real losers // beat your heart out // good clean fun // total punk macho boys // dinosaur // macho boys // dirt cult cowtown // tweak // paranormal romance // happy happy birthday to me hound // holding out // some days were good cassette // gold mold s:bahn // you could be mine // love songs // noiseland lung leg // krayola // maid to minx // last night from glasgow majesty crush // seles // love 15 // numero group drop nineteens // white dress // white dress ep // wharf cat nervous twitch // this song about ya // odd socks // (self-released) guided by voices // jabberstroker // sunfish holy breakfast ep // matador still house plants // sticky // if i don't make it, i love u // bison tam lin // snooping animals // tam lin cassette // discontinuous innovations titanic // circulo perfecto // vidrio // unheard of hope patrick shiroishi // the light is not afraid // a sparrow in a swallow's nest 7" // sub pop caroline davis and wendy eisenberg featuring greg saunier // concrete // accept when // astral spirits shabaka hutchings featuring saul williams // managing my breath, what fear had become // perceive its beauty, acknowledge its grace // impulse! tyshawn sorey, aaron diehl and matt brewer // reincarnation blues // continuing // pi harold land // one second, please // the fox (remastered) // contemporary akai solo // demonslayer // spirit roaming // backwoodz studioz serengeti // lou canela // kenny dennis iv // tha god fahim and oh no featuring your old droog // cobbler // berserko // nature sounds estee nack and futurewave // oscar de la renta // stone temple pyrex // wav god music valee and harry fraud featuring saba and mavi // watermelon automobile // virtuoso // fake shore drive beyoncé featuring linda martell and shaboozey // spaghettii // cowboy carter // parkwood entertainment the hit parade // apple tree // under the bridge, volume two compilation // skep wax haha same // calling it a night // guess what to do 7" // sub pop the ladybug transistor // always on the saxophone // can't wait another day // merge the flaming stars // ten feet tall // john peel session on october 17th, 1996 ep // precious club 8 // sunny // sunny digital single // golden islands the reds, pinks and purples // learning to love a band // unwishing well // slumberland

once cowboy carter gets to the linda martell show good luck skipping

Five Songs on Repeat

rules: post 5 songs that you've had on repeat lately :)

Thanks for the tag @ellivia ❤️❤️

1. YA YA -Beyonce (But really I’m doing THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW >> YA YA >> OH LOUISIANA in album order as the queen herself intended)

2. Too Sweet -Hozier

3. II MOST WANTED -Beyonce and Miley Cyrus

4. American Idiot -Green Day

5. Satanist -boygenius

As you can see, Cowboy Carter rewired some brain circuitry for me lol.

Tagging anyone who sees this and wants to participate ❤️❤️