‘Hope you know we see you’



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Maren Morris was the inaugural winner of the 54th Annual Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday, winning three trophies for Song of the Year and Single of the Year for “Bones” as well as Female Artist of the Year . It was during this last trip to the catwalk that Morris chose to use her airtime to advocate for black female artists who broke the color barrier of country music – starting with Linda Martell, who in 1969 became the first black woman to play Grand Ole. Opry.

“I have a lot of people to thank, and they are the ones who lift me up and who made this dream come true with me. But there are names in my mind that I want to recognize, because I’m just a fan of their music and they’re country like that, ”Morris began. “And I just want them to know how much we love them back. And just watch their music after that. It’s Linda Martell, Yola, Mickey Guyton, Rissi Palmer, Brittney Spencer, Rhiannon Giddens. There are so many amazing black women who pioneered and continue to be the pioneers of this genre. I know they will sue me; they came before me. You made this genre so, so beautiful. Hope you know we see you. Thank you for making me so inspired as a singer.

Wednesday’s CMA Awards were historic for black country performers in several ways. Darius Rucker – who recently revealed in an interview on Rissi Palmer’s Apple Music show “Color Me Country” that a radio programmer once told him: “I don’t think my audience will accept a black country singer.” – became only the second black person to host the CMA ceremony, nearly half a century after country legend Charley Pride co-hosted with Glen Campbell in 1975.

And in a loop moment, the 86-year-old Pride was honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, given by rising black country star Jimmie Allen – who, after performing his hit “Best Shot”, is Going to No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart in 2018, said, “I might never have had a career in country music without a groundbreaking artist who made the best genre of history. … Thank you, Mr. Charley Pride, for all the songs and for breaking down so many barriers with your remarkable life.

Jimmie Allen and Charley Pride at the 54th CMA Awards. (Photo: ABC via Getty Images)

The son of Mississippi sharecroppers, Pride was signed by Chet Atkins to RCA Records in 1966 and went on to become that label’s best-selling artist since Elvis Presley, earning 36 # 1 hits and three CMA Awards, including Entertainer of the Year. in 1971.. Still in great shape, Pride performed his classic “Kiss an Angel Good Morning” on Wednesday’s awards airing, then gave a humble acceptance speech, avoiding any socio-political statements and gently admitting that he was “too. nervous as possible ”.

Ironically, the last and biggest award of the night, Artist of the Year, went to Eric Church, who beat the top two female nominees, Carrie Underwood and alleged favorite Miranda Lambert. (No artist of color was nominated in the category.) “If there was already one year for not winning this award! Church joked, admitting he didn’t expect to win and didn’t prepare a speech, before speaking more poetically about the power of music to bring people together.

The 54th Annual Country Music Awards, co-hosted by Rucker and Reba McEntire, took place at Music City Center in Nashville on Wednesday, November 11. For a full list of winners, click here.

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