Whitewashed: May 2025 Theme Mix Tape (Side A) can be found on Spotify. Listen in-blog below for a more rich experience, or on Spotify for uninterrupted music. Please note below each song is a link to song lyrics for accessibility. Check out more details on how to best enjoy mix tapes.
Good day!
You’re listening to KMTJ-DB – Your Mix Tape Journey – Denver, Colorado.
I’m your host, DJ Ponyboy, coming to you from nearly 300 feet above downtown Denver with this month’s theme mix tape, Whitewashed: The History of Country Music (Side A).
In 2016, the Recording Academy’s country music committee rejected Beyoncé’s submission of country song “Daddy Lessons” for Grammy consideration, citing its non-traditional country sound and questioning its eligibility in the country categories.
In 2019, Billboard removed Lil Nas X’s country song “Old Town Road” from its Hot Country Songs chart, claiming the decision was based on the song’s lack of traditional country elements, such as instrumentation and radio airplay on country stations.
In both instances, these “professional” criticisms were paired with ignorant comments from so-called country music lovers weeping and gnashing their teeth that artists like Beyoncé and Lil Nas X should “stay in their lane” and “keep country, country”.
What allows Black people to claim a place in the country genre? Black folks listen to country music – doesn’t being an audience member make you a participant in something? Black people perform country music – doesn’t playing and singing something make it partially yours? Black individuals write country music – doesn’t creation make you an owner in something? Black people literally invented country music – how can it be “appropriation” to claim as yours something that was stolen from you?
Over these two mix tapes I aim to demonstrate that Black artists inherently belong in country music and have been there since before the beginning.
It is a popularly-accepted untruth that country music began in America in the 1920’s, but that merely denotes the era when technology was getting to a point that would allow widespread audio documentation of music that had traditionally been part of an oral tradition with elements potentially dating back to the 1600’s or before.
Today’s first tune dates to as early as 1906. Written and recorded by Black country artist Elizabeth Cotton, enjoy “Freight Train” on KMTJ-DB – Denver, Colorado.
Nothing is more “country” than the famous WSM Grand Ole Opry located in Nashville, Tennessee. One of the pioneering members of that venerated show and one of its most popular performers, appearing multiple times between 1927 and 1941 was Black Tennessee harmonicist DeFord Bailey, whose talent and breath control with the harmonica are awe-inspiring.
Bailey toured with major country stars, including Uncle Dave Macon, Bill Monroe, and Roy Acuff, who later stated, “I was an unknown when I began touring with DeFord. He could draw a crowd, not me. He helped me get started.”
Born in 1899, Bailey learned to play harmonica and mandolin at three years old while recovering from polio. Imagine listening to this song on your family farm sitting around the tube radio.
Impersonating a train, here is DeFord Bailey with 1928’s “Pan American Blues”.
Pan American Blues is an instrumental song featuring the harmonica and has no lyrics
DeFord Bailey’s “Pan American Blues”. If you enjoyed that one, another energetic and evocative tune I recommend is “Fox Chase”, released the same year.
Born in 1888, Huddie William Ledbetter, unfortunately better known by the unwanted moniker Lead Belly, ended up in the right time and place to be the first to record many Traditional tunes that he had learned in the oral tradition. While neither of our next tunes were written by him, both tracks are the first known recordings of their respective tunes.
First, a song that many might consider a very “white” song, but indeed has an origin dark as the sweetest blackberry. Tracing back to at least 1886 when Black songwriter Gussie Lord Davis released sheet music for a version of it, but very likely older than that, here is Huddie Ledbetter kicking off a country double-shot with 1933’s “Goodnight Irene” on KMTJ-DB – Denver.
Where Did You Sleep Last Night Lyrics
Huddie Ledbetter with “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”, known alternatively as “In the Pines”, a Traditional song dating back till at least the 1870’s. His performance of “Goodnight Irene” before that. There have been many, many versions of that song; one fun one is Little Richard’s 1964 version.
Access to that and other collected tunes related to this month’s mix tapes, can be had by joining my Patreon tier of Beat Backer (only $17/mo) or above; you will receive access to bonus playlists for mix tapes all the way back to May 2024, and much more!
I’m DJ Ponyboy, having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have; I hope you’re having a great time as well and learning something on today’s mix tape adventure. Much of the inspiration for this month’s theme came from the 2024 Alice Randall album My Black Country (which I excitedly pre-ordered as soon as its release was announced on Oh Boy Records, John Prine’s label) and subsequent accompanying book My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future (released just a few months ago).
I recommend reading this book; Randall is a talented writer who does a great job of weaving the history of Black country music with her personal journey as a mother, daughter, songwriter, researcher, and more. It’s a page-turner that I recommend checking out. Visit the new Books section of the Mix Tape Journey website, featuring music-related reads recommended by yours truly – DJ Ponyboy – for more information about this book and other recommended titles!
Linda Martell was active from 1962-2011, returning for a feature on Beyoncé’s 2024 album COWBOY CARTER.
From Martell’s fantastic 1970 country album Color Me Country, enjoy “I Almost Called Your Name”.
I Almost Called Your Name Lyrics
I’m so glad you’re joining me today here on KMTJ-DB, Denver. Our next song was written by Swamp Dogg, and was a hit for Johnny Paycheck in 1971. Today I share with you Swamp Dogg’s 2020 “cover” of his own song, 1971’s “Don’t Take Her (She’s All I Got)”.
Don’t Take Her (She’s All I Got) Lyrics
So far, all the songs we’ve heard have been written and performed by Black artists. Our next track deviates slightly. One would be hard-pressed to compile a list of songs of Black country artists while neglecting to include Charley Pride. Unfortunately, I had trouble locating any songs he recorded that were written by Black songwriters. Why do you think that is?
Additionally, I had trouble finding any country songs written and recorded by Black artists between 1945 and 1970. Certainly, there were Black artists writing country songs during this time, as I was able to find many examples from before and after this period. Why do you think this is the case?
Share your thoughts on the Mix Tape Journeyers Facebook group!
Performing his biggest hit, reaching #1 on the Hot Country Billboard chart, here is Charley Pride with 1971’s “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” on KMTJ-DB – Your Mix Tape Journey – Denver, Colorado.
Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’ Lyrics
Besides Charley Pride, another significant Black country artist who for whatever reason seemed to only record songs written by white songwriters was Stoney Edwards. Active from 1970-1992, he was the first artist to record our next tune in 1972. Peaking at #20 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, it was later popularly covered by both Brenda Lee and George Jones.
Up next, my very favourite track on today’s mix tape. Active since 1969, the Pointer Sisters are an American female vocal group from Oakland, California. In 1974 they wrote and recorded “Fairytale”, a fantastic country gem that should be much more well-known than it is.
Thank you so much for joining me today; I will see you in two weeks for the exciting Side B of this month’s mix tape, featuring just the tip of the iceberg that is the explosion of Black country music in the last 25 years.
Make sure to join me next week for a very special Connections mix tape featuring the songs of Alice Randall, a country songwriter, author, professor, and more who achieved success in Nashville in the 80’s and 90’s writing hit songs for white country artists.
In 2024’s My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall, eleven of Randall’s songs are recorded as they were intended to be sung – by Black voices. We will explore the various artists singing ten of these tunes and their connections to Randall and the music she writes.
Closing out Side A of this week’s mix tape with a song that earned its composer a Grammy on her very first album, here is 1988’s “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman on KMTJ-DB – Denver, Colorado.
Thank you for joining me today.
You’ve been listening to KMTJ-DB – Your Mix Tape Journey – Denver, Colorado.
I’m your host DJ Ponyboy.
Until next time, stay gold.