At Stagecoach, Black Country artists have their say

Come to your senses, yes. Over the weekend, Stagecoach, California’s largest country music festival, showcased one in all its most diverse lineups since its inception, with nine black bands performing over three days. This weekend, Essence kept its feet on the bottom, meeting with six artists, each of whom stated in their own way: Country music is for everybody but Black people.

Tanner Adell, Leon Bridges, Miko Marks, Willie Jones, Brittney Spencer, The War and Treaty, RVSHVD, Shaboozey and even Wiz Khalifa graced Stagecoach 2024 with their own sets for the primary time. This wave of “newness” brought electrifying energy to the stages of Stagecoach; “back to” the country, as Michael Trotter Jr. put it. from The War and Treaty.

Stagecoach was never on my radar regardless that I lived in California – that’s, until I saw this yr’s lineup. While on the festival grounds, I experienced some not-so-friendly encounters, politically coded chants, and comments stemming from an exotic fascination (everyone knows the type), all of which were to be expected on this territory. But I also experienced many beautiful moments that showed how diverse, collective and friendly the Country space is. Black festival-goers looked as if it would naturally gravitate towards one another, and one North Carolinian spotted me in the group and shared how, after a decade of attending Stagecoach, he was overjoyed to see more of our community embrace a genre where we have long roots.

For an artist like Willie Jones, welcoming and supporting artists from the Black Country “is a dream come true” and leaves him wanting much more for the collective. During the conversation, each artist pointedly named the opposite, singing one another’s praises and showing real-time support for their small community. From Randy Savvy and Compton Cowboys spreading awareness of black cowboy culture amongst Marks and sharing how the Bill Pickett Rodeo gave her her first platform, so many features of black country culture got here together to uplift one another.

The mutual feeling expressed by each performer can only be described as elation. For Spencer, being embraced on stage for her artistry was “empowering [to see] the future of country music will create space for different types of people.”

The Stagecoach platform provides a chance to attach with country fans and show them that “we are here,” as Shaboozey enthuses. They delve into what it’s prefer to perform for an audience that does not all the time reflect them physically. Some express occasional discomfort, while others describe their goal to create a universal experience through music that transcends physical identity. Spencer emphasizes that as Black people, “we listen to music where we see ourselves,” and reflects the interests of the collective, which goals to indicate the community that this too may be possible in country music. Trotter states, “we don’t just want [the Black community] at our shows, we are there.”

Adell focuses on creating an authentic space for her audience: “I want to perform in a way that I don’t have to [explain] why I did something,” she confirms, referring to her decisions of wearing Bantu knots on the CMT Awards or highlighting Harbin sisters, six black girls to bounce together with her on the Stagecoach stage. “I did it because the people who need to see it, if you know, you know and they knew. And if you didn’t, then it wasn’t news for you. Her stagecoach performance had taken place earlier in the day and was still met with the most spirited crowd, “that just says a lot about [the presence of] the Black community.” She goes on to say, “It’s harder for independent women to break through in country music, let alone women of color. I am grateful for our community.”

Reclaiming an area long defined by homogeneous gatekeepers may be exhausting, as Marks highlights in an interview following a decade-long hiatus from the genre. “I used to be just devastated because Nashville and the industry weren’t accepting of it. They loved the music, but they didn’t like me and the way in which I presented it. As a “seasoned” figure within the genre, she talks about how beautiful her comeback was, how she’s evolved since then, and reflects on the present era of country music. While she’s grateful for the increased focus they’re currently experiencing (thanks Cowboy Carter!), she also wants Black artists to be respected for the work they’ve put in.

Current graduates discuss what they took away from the collaboration and where they’re headed. Jones appreciates the organization put into the creative process, Adell has learned the art of exercising some patience in her work, and Spencer emphatically states that she has learned to “belong.” Among other things, Beyoncé showed how versatile black musicians bring to the genre after they will not be closed off to themselves.

Navigating the spaces where others attempt to stop him, Willie Jones finds that he simply “doesn’t give a damn.” Jones is refreshingly himself in every room he enters, and that was immediately apparent when he sat down on the table with Essence. He talks about his love for what he calls “cultured country,” talks about his excitement for what Black musicians bring to the table, and ignores closed minds.

“Music has no boundaries. I’m doing this for the ancestors, for Shreveport, Louisiana,” Joes says. His music is heavily influenced by classic country sounds as well as southern hip-hop. While this gives it an enticing sound that anyone can enjoy, Jones also wanted Essence readers to know that it is actually “for the gworls.”

The War and the Treaty describes how they face the obstacles put in front of them and it comes all the way down to this: love, unity and discernment. Their love for music, vocation and one another is beyond enjoyable. Tanya Trotter, one half of the facility duo, explains what the industry tried to do to surround her as she transitioned from R&B to country music. “I wanted to do something different,” she explains, and one in all her only examples of black women on this space is Tracy Chapman, emphasizing the importance of being steadfast in yourself and your purpose.

She highlights the broader industry’s tendency to label all black artists as R&B and points to Baltimore native Brittney Spencer, who clearly positions herself as a rustic artist. “It’s beautiful and challenging,” Spencer assures. Black artists are sometimes burdened with additional pressures or labels as a result of a racial identity that is totally out of their control. Where they need to have the option to precise art without having a lot influence through the lens of their identity, that does not occur, especially in country music. On the opposite hand, this very identity shapes and refines the art they create.

The Trotters discuss the connectedness rooted within the Black musical tradition: “Without the blues, there isn’t a country music; blues without jazz and folk; and you will not get it without the gospel and Negro spirits. I believe re-education and deconstruction are essential. We must stop pondering it is not for us. Marks adds that he wants black audiences “to know that country music is part of our heritage and our essence, so move forward knowing that your roots are rooted in this music.”

Many of those artists aren’t any strangers to combining genres. From the aforementioned genres to hip hop and Americana, their masterful versatility sets them aside from the group while connecting them to the broader black music tradition. As Miko Marks herself describes: “the basis of everything I do is black music. That is, country, gospel, R&B, bluegrass, jazz, because we are the foundation of what was created. I don’t believe in being bound by a genre.”

Shaboozey shares similar sentiments: “I’ve lived through so many eras,” he tells the audience on his set, “but [the support] means so much to me.” He develops broader diaspora connections, akin to the banjo’s origins in West Africa and the way that history influenced his own creative process. He attributes his ability to organically mix eclectic taste and sound to his Nigerian and Southern identity. “African music and country music are world music. It’s about sharing stories. [My identities] Let me see the beauty and culture in everything around me.” After a decade of natural development, Shaboozey’s powerful voice has brought him up to now.

If Stagecoach’s response to those black musicians is any indication of where the industry is heading, the long run looks brighter. Tanner Adell she decided to have fans running across the fields to arrange her set, War and treatysoulful voices filled the campsites and took us to church that Sunday afternoon Brittney SpencerThe artist’s raw talent and sensitivity made all her listeners feel like a “housewife” when she sang.

Willie Joneswealthy personality and voice shone through in his full of life performance on the Mane stage, Shaboozeythe surprise performance met with a packed house, RVSHVD’s vibrant, multi-generational audience sang along to each lyric, and Leon Bridges he couldn’t say a word without the audience erupting each time. Compton Cowboys contributed to this atmosphere by providing cultural lessons and Q&A chats for anyone thinking about the wealthy cultural history of the Black West.

You can safely say: Yee-Hawa Program is fully valid. For those of you who have not taken up the challenge yet, or are only beginning to dip your toe within the water, this incredible line-up of Black Country stars is an amazing start. This is not Texas – it’s Stagecoach, but we’re here.