In the days leading up to her Cowboy Carter release, Beyoncé took to Instagram to reveal the album’s 27-song tracklist, which included shoutouts to country music legends like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. While those artists need no introduction, there was one name many fans were less familiar with: Linda Martell.
Track 19, titled “The Linda Martell Show,” is Bey’s way of honoring the pioneering 82-year-old country singer who defied racial stereotypes and smashed barriers in the predominantly white music genre. The track, one of several interludes on the album, sees Martell introducing "Ya Ya," a song that "stretches across a range of genres."
As pointed out by CNN, Martell is regarded as one of the first Black women to achieve commercial success in country music, thanks to her unique fusion of gospel, R&B, soul, and American roots.
Born in 1941 in the segregated South, Martell began her music career in the early 1960s singing backup for several R&B acts and eventually forming a pop-centric girl group. The South Carolina native went on to pursue a solo career within the R&B realm but decided to change courses in 1969 after meeting record producer/label owner Shelby Singleton Jr.
According to a 2020 Rolling Stone article, Singleton was working in A&R at Mercury Records and convinced Martell to try her hand at country music, believing she could become the female version of Charley Pride.
“I looked at him, like, ‘Really?’” Martell recalled to RS about Singleton’s suggestion. “I was a little bit shocked! I was mostly doing pop. But he said, ‘You gotta go country.’”
Martell ultimately agreed and recorded a grip of songs—which landed on her debut album Color Me Country—just days after inking a deal with Singleton. The project included tracks like “Bad Case of the Blues,” “San Francisco Is a Lonely Town,” and “Before the Next Teardrop Falls”; but the biggest hit was “Color Him Father,” originally performed by the Washington, D.C. group the Winstons. Martell told Rolling Stone she initially approached the song as a soul tune; however, Singleton pushed back, insisting she perform it with her R&B-tinged country sound.
“He said, ‘Put your voice on there. I don’t want to hear the Winstons. I want to hear you.’ And that’s what I did,” she explained. “Country music tells a story. When you choose a song and you can feel it, that’s what made me feel great about what I was singing. I did a lot of country songs, and I loved every one of them. Because they just tell a story.”
“Color Him Father” spent 22 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and peaked at No. 22. Fast-forward to about 55 years later, when Beyoncé became the first Black woman in history to top the chart with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the lead single for Cowboy Carter.
Martell was also the first Black female solo artist to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, the iconic Nashville music venue/radio show.
She ultimately parted ways with Singleton in 1970, citing disagreements over marketing and the name of his music imprint, Plantation Records. Martell told Rolling Stone she wasn’t comfortable with the name because of its association with American slavery; however, Singleton denied that there was any connection.
“He said, ‘Of course not.’ I said, ‘Yes. What you are telling me is that Black people belonged on the plantation!’” she recalled.
Martell said her country music career effectively ended after Singleton “blackballed” her, although she would spend the following decades singing R&B tunes in clubs, bars, and cruise ships. The CMT Music Awards celebrated Martell's work in 2021, when she received the Equal Play Award, as seen below. The honor is given to those who have helped elevate "diverse and underrepresented voices in country music.”
"Linda Martell is a living legend who has influenced so many artists of color, giving them the courage and hope to pursue their dreams and a future reality of Equal Play in country music,” said Leslie Fram, CMT's senior vice president of music and talent, in a press release. “Linda embodies the spirit of our ‘Equal Play’ initiative and we are proud to honor her with this prestigious award.”
Although it's been 50-plus years since Martell began smashing barriers within the country music scene, it's clear the genre is still plagued by racial prejudice and discrimination. Beyoncé shed more light on the issue in a March 19 Instagram post promoting Cowboy Carter.
"This album has been over five years in the making," wrote the 42-year-old winner of 32 Grammys. "It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. ... The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."
She continued, "This ain’t a Country album. This is a 'Beyoncé' album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!"
Cowboy Carter is out now. Martell can also be heard on the Shaboozey-featuring "Spaghettii," again talking about the complications brought on by genre limitations:
Genres are a funny little concept, aren't they?
Yes, they are
In theory, they have a simple definition that's easy to understand
But in practice, well, some may feel confined
In a statement shared to Instagram, Martell said she was “proud” to be part of Beyoncé’s new chapter.
"I am proud that Beyoncé is exploring her country music roots,” Martell said. “What she is doing is beautiful, and I’m honored to be a part of it. It’s Beyoncé, after all!"
