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The Shady Acres bar, located eight miles northwest of Beyoncé’s childhood home in Houston, Texas, is a small and casual country dive. On a Wednesday evening, a few pickup trucks can be seen parked outside. Inside, there is a wooden bar with dollar bills attached to the ceiling. The bar serves popular Texas beers like Shiner Bock and Lone Star, and a jukebox near the pool table plays classic country songs by artists such as Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Jeannie C Riley. Despite her recent success with the song “Texas Hold ‘Em,” which made Beyoncé the first Black woman to top Billboard’s country music chart and is currently number one in the UK for the second week in a row, it is not included on the playlist.
Beyoncé has always been vocal about her pride in her home state of Texas. However, her decision to incorporate country music in her upcoming album has sparked discussions about her authenticity in the genre. While some country radio stations initially refused to play her new song, one in Oklahoma eventually changed their stance due to an online campaign. Some devoted country music fans have raised doubts about the country label for Beyoncé’s new tracks, disregarding the genre’s Black roots and her own connections to it, such as the inclusion of the song “Daddy Lessons” on her previous album Lemonade and her group Destiny’s Child donning stetsons. In response to criticism, Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles shared insights on the family’s involvement in rodeo culture and country legend Dolly Parton publicly praised Beyoncé and expressed excitement for her upcoming record.
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The customers of Shady Acres have differing opinions. Cliff Boatwright, aged 55, voiced his thoughts on the establishment: “Take a look at this place we’re in.” He is dressed in jeans and a camouflage baseball cap and enjoying beers with his friend, Jim, aged 47. Jim prefers to go by simply his first name. He adds, “I highly doubt Beyoncé has ever visited this establishment.”
It is likely accurate, as Beyoncé cannot enter a casual bar without a group of bodyguards. However, the important question is not about Beyoncé’s potential visits to country bars. Rather, it is whether her new songs will be well-received by the regular attendees, who prefer classic country artists like Willie and Waylon on the jukebox, as opposed to a superstar who rose to fame with R&B and pop hits such as “Say My Name.” Both Boatwright and Jim have heard Beyoncé’s song “Texas Hold ‘Em” and agree that she has the freedom to create any type of music she desires. However, they do not consider the song to be country.
Boatwright believes that as an artist, Beyoncé has the freedom to pursue her interests. However, he adds that for him personally, some of the choices she has made do not fit into the country genre. He explains that country music is not simply defined by a guitar twang or a cowboy hat and horse, especially not when that horse is a hologram of Beyoncé’s. To Boatwright, country music is about telling stories, particularly those of the working class, and creating songs that deeply resonate with the soul. Jim points out that Beyoncé’s immense success has disconnected her from the struggles of everyday people trying to make ends meet.
“It is inconsequential that you hail from Texas. What matters is if you truly lead a countryside lifestyle. It troubles me that her song is being categorized as country.”
Beyoncé may hold the distinction of being the first Black woman to reach number one on the country music charts, but she is not the first Black country singer to achieve a hit. In the same year she was born, 1981, Charley Pride also had a song called Never Been So Loved (In All My Life) atop the Hot Country Songs chart, alongside other legends such as Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, and Hank Williams Jr. The first Black woman to make her mark in country music and perform on the renowned Grand Ole Opry stage was Linda Martell. Additionally, Texas-born artist Mickey Guyton is challenging boundaries in the genre, while Darius Rucker, former frontman of Hootie and the Blowfish, has successfully transitioned to country music. Therefore, the debate over whether Beyoncé truly embodies the essence of country music is somewhat unnecessary.
At Shady Acres, 42-year-old musician Colin Goodnight from Houston fully supports Beyoncé’s new sound. “I appreciate her willingness to explore new genres,” he states. Beyoncé fan Bryant Bell may not be a fan of the new song, but that doesn’t change his belief that it falls under the country category. His friend Melissa Higginson hasn’t listened to it yet, but she plans to. “She has a stunning voice,” she praises. “I applaud her for pushing boundaries.”
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Later at Bandits, a dance hall located about two miles from Beyoncé’s childhood home, approximately 20 people wearing boots are learning a two-step on the dance floor. According to bartenders Payton and Darian, the song has not yet been played at Bandits, although Payton is familiar with it from TikTok. Armadillo Palace is a large restaurant and dance hall with plaques honoring famous Texas musicians, such as Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, and Lightnin’ Hopkins, embedded in the floor. Risa Marie, a 37-year-old graphic designer who enjoys playing Texas Hold ‘Em, can be heard shouting over the music. She explains, “I can listen to Beyoncé’s music on repeat. She’s a talented musician, and as an artist, I can incorporate different styles into my art. Why should she not be able to do the same with her music?”
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The obvious answer seems to be: because she’s Beyoncé. While she appears untouchable in some ways, in others, anything she tries will get picked apart and criticised. Weldon Henson, a country musician living outside Austin, listened to the new song to see what all the fuss was about. “This is a free-market society and people can do whatever they want, but everything is so mixed together now, it’s almost impossible to label country at all any more,” he says.
The speaker believes that Beyoncé does not require support from established country artists such as Dolly Parton, as her music will still be highly sought after even without a strong country influence. Although he acknowledges her talent as a musician, he does not necessarily view her as a genuine country artist. According to Henson, country music is centered around storytelling and representing the common person, which he feels Beyoncé does not fit into as she is primarily a pop icon. He concludes that her song does not fit the criteria for being classified as country music.
It is true that genres are blending together more now than they did during the time of Linda Martell and Hank Williams, when boundaries were more strictly defined. Lil Nas X’s popular hit “Old Town Road” from 2018 caused a stir among country traditionalists for its mix of rap and country influences. The song was even removed from the Billboard country chart. However, modern country music, particularly that labeled as “traditional” and created by white, typically male artists like Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, and Sam Hunt, clearly shows signs of rap influence.
At Shady Acres, Boatwright concluded his discussion on the definition of authentic country music by referencing Beyoncé. He praised her for broadening her musical horizons and acknowledged that he may simply be stuck in old ways.
Source: theguardian.com
