At 5678 we want to shine a light on women that are underrepresented in their genres – and black women have long faced a lack of representation in the country music scene. Commonly associated with White men – but did you know country music is actually of Black origin?
Here are three Black country artists that are currently touring.
1-Mickey Guyton
Perhaps the most well-known Black country singer, Guyton is recognised for her contributions to music.
Her debut single ‘Better Than You Left Me’ earned her a nomination at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
She also became the first ever Black woman to receive a Grammy nomination in the Best Country Solo Performance category.
Despite this, her work can’t be defined by just one genre and draws in influence from country, rnb and pop.
In April, Guyton announced her first headline tour after her debut in 2014. Kicking off in September 2024, Guyton is performing across North America and with one show in Toronto, Canada.
2- Valerie June
Valerie June is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. In 2014, she was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the ‘Best New Artist Debut’ category for her song ‘Pushin Against a Stone’.
June is currently on tour, with shows in early June supporting Tyler Childers.
Yet another artist that isn’t confined to one genre, her music spans across gospel, blues, country, and soul.
3- Rissi Palmer
Rissi Palmer made her debut in 2007 with her song ‘Country Girl’. The release of this song made her the first Black woman to chart a country song since 1988.
In 2009, Palmer hosted ‘Rissi Palmer’s Country’, a travel channel TV show wherein she explores the music scene in a given city, with the pilot episode centring around blues music in Chicago.
Palmer is currently on a spring tour around Southern United States, with more shows to follow throughout the summer.
