Are there any black country western singers?
The History of a Blended Genre A Brief History of Black Americans in Country Music As far back as the early 1900s, the twang of black voice singing of honky-tonks and heartbreaks existed in country music. One of those early voices belonged to Rufe “Tee-Tot” Payne, who frequented the dives around Greenville, Alabama throughout the 1920s as a street musician. His greatest gift to country came in the form of mentorship: In the 1930s he began teaching a boy named King Hiram Williams, who went on to wear the crown of country music as Hank Williams. Even now, years after Hank Williams’ death, many Americans are unaware that he was taught to play and sing country by a black man. A contemporary of Payne was Tennessee’s, DeFord Bailey, who can rightfully be called country music’s first black star. By the age of 26, he joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. Within two years, he was making up to twice the number of appearances as other acts on the radio show, and touring cities across the south a
