Beyoncé‘s Cowboy Carter helped shine a light on the ongoing conversation surrounding country music in relation to Black musicians. Now, a new CNN FlashDoc called Call Me Country: Beyoncé and Nashville’s Renaissance, out April 26 on MAX, will dive even deeper into the issues and hurdles Black artists have long faced in the genre.
The Call Me Country trailer, which dropped on Tuesday, teases analysis and conversations surrounding Queen Bey’s history-making LP and how it ignited a conversation surrounding the treatment of Black artists in a white-dominated music genre and industry.
“Some in the industry are welcoming more diverse artists, while others stick to a much narrower view of a genre that predominately centers around straight, white men,” read a synopsis of the film. “Call Me Country examines the impact of how high-profile artists like Lil Nas X and Beyoncé are challenging the country music status quo, and how Black artists in Nashville have been laying the foundation for this transformation for some time.”
The film is set to feature interviews with Rhiannon Giddens, who played banjo on Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Brothers Osborne’s T.J. and John Osborne, Rissi Palmer, Aaron Vance, and Denitia. It will also include appearances from experts such as Touré, Chris Molamphy, Keith Hill, and Rolling Stone‘s own Larisha Paul.
Paul penned a commentary piece titled “Beyoncé Always Said You’ll Never Take the Country Out of Her” about Beyoncé’s pivot into country music and how that style of music has always been in her essence. The co-directors of the Black Opry, Holly G. and Tanner D., will also provide commentary in the new film.
Beyoncé dropped Cowboy Carter on March 29 and featured numerous Black artists in country music across the LP, including Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, Shaboozey, and Willie Jones.
A trio of country legends — Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Linda Martell — also provide interlude narration on the LP.
