Country music has deep roots in Black history, originating from older genres like gospel, folk, and blues. Many of the core instruments in country music, such as the banjo and drum, trace their origins to African influences brought over through the Atlantic slave trade. Rooted in spirituals, plantation songs, and folk traditions, the blues became a cornerstone of American music. In essence, Black gospel and the blues are the foundation of all American music. Join us this month on Torch n’ Twang; the show will highlight the pioneers of blues, soul, gospel, country and folk, celebrating their contributions and lasting impact. Below, we will showcase just a tiny handful of the many impacts that Black music and Black musicians have had on country music, both past and present.

Blues
Both emerging out of the 1920s South, the lines between country and blues were incredibly blurred, with the difference being primarily the race of the artist. As the Great Migration saw numerous Black Americans move from the South to cities in the North, so did the sounds of blues with the codification and recording of blues itself. The freeform nature of the genre became more stabilized, and the stars of blues, like Muddy Waters, Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith became nationwide stars. At the same time, the country artists at the time began to develop their own sound, taking in elements from honky-tonk and the sounds of Nashville, leading to a more-obvious split between the genres beyond the racial background of the artist. However, elements from one of the genres continues to impact the other, with country megastar Chris Stapelton’s vocal stylings coming from the blues megastars of nearly a century ago.

Gospel
Gospel music is something that may seem a bit unrelated as an influence on a genre like country, but there is so much rich history in the relationship between country and gospel. For example, gospel was the genre where many of America’s most prominent vocalists, like Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke and Otis Reading amongst others, got their start. Their vocal stylings, as well as the shared roots of storytelling and themes of resiliency in both country and gospel, helped to propel both genres into the limelight. Gospel was the genre that gave rise to the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who’s someone who has altered the face of music as a whole. The influence of ‘The Godmother of Rock ‘N’ Roll’ has seen her be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the influence of rock on country music, especially contemporary country, is so present that it can be somewhat difficult to think about rock without country. Gospel itself also had a major influence on soul, which we will dive further into next.

Soul
Kris Kristofferson, one of the pioneering figures of the ‘outlaw country’ movement of the ‘70s, said that “country music is the white man’s soul music.” Even though this comparison feels almost like a slap in the face, it does open up some discussion about how soul itself has influenced country music. For instance, soul’s vocal deliverance, and the emphasis on the voice as an instrument is something we can now find across the musical landscape. The first thing that comes to mind when you think about country music is the distinct twang, and it is something that is hard to separate. Another element of soul that is important to remember is how it has been used for social commentary. A number of country’s biggest hits have been some form of social commentary, and soul’s use as a platform for this commentary has not just impacted country, but so many other genres as a whole.
To tune into Torch and Twang, turn on Impact 89FM on Tuesdays from 8-10 pm.