Black Country Singers

Live blog: “The Voice” first season finale

7:02: Oklahoma country music star Blake Shelton gives a fist-pump and a big “yes” when Carson announces that Mrs. Shelton, fellow country star Miranda Lambert, will be performing a duet tonight with Dia. Other superstar duet pairings for the finalists tonight: Tulsa native and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder will do a duet with Beverly. Legendary Fleetwood Mac songstress Stevie Nicks will pair with Javier. And Train lead singer Pat Monahan will sing with Vicci.

7:05: Former members of “The Voice” family are in the house, and we’re getting some other members of the NBC family involved with a behind-the-scenes look at the finalists’ recent visit to “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” It’s been a long time since NBC has scored a hit, so expect this Peacock to strut, preen and show off the rest of its feathers a lot tonight.

7:07: Cross promoting aside, “The Tonight Show” bandleader Rickey Minor did make a great observation about “The Voice” finalists: We have a great variety of singers represented tonight. Dia has her unique vocal tone and indie folk-rock vibe; Javier is an R&B crooner with smooth pipes; Beverly is the straight-up rocker with the raw voice to match; and Vicci is the soulful firebrand with what Cee Lo calls her “war dance.” It’s an interesting range of performers (especially when you consider that the “American Idol” finals featured two teenage contemporary country singers. Just saying.)

7:12: After a series of flashbacks and prerecorded interviews, Vicci Martinez from Team Cee Lo becomes the first finalist to do her superstar duet.

She and Pat Monahan are crooning Train’s hit “Drops of Jupiter.” Is it bad form is the finalist upstages the star? Because I like Vicci’s soulful croon much better than Monahan’s nasally whining. I’ve never been a Train fan, and much of it has to do with his grating voice. I don’t think he’d get far in this competition. Plus, I prefer her dynamic stage presence.

7:16: In a video clip from last night’s memorable “Beyond Thunderdome” version of Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield,” Vicci comments on how much Cee Lo’s sense of style has rubbed off on her. She’s certainly glitzed it up in her time on the show. I mean, just check out the NBC promo photo taken after the blind auditions.

Can Black Country Singers Find Success? « Brand Newz

Having conquered the R&B, jazz, rock – even opera industries – African Americans seem to hit a roadblock in regards to country music. Can we make a lasting impact? Do we have what it takes to do so?

In 1926, DeFord Bailey broke racial boundaries when he became the first African American to appear on stage at the Grand Ole Opry, the very representation of country music.

It would take some 40 years before another African American made such an impact. It was 1962 and Ray Charles, although primarily an R&B artist, released the groundbreaking album “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music” featuring the number one hit “I Can’t Stop Lovin’ You.” The tune made Charles a household name in country-lovin’ homes all across America. To emphasize its massive appeal, it is among Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, as well as the 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music.

That same year the legendary Nat “King” Cole cut a tune called “Ramblin’ Rose,” which became the second country hit by an African American in the genre.

But it wasn’t until the mid-60s when a young Charley Pride caught the attention of record producer Chet Atkins that Black country singers were taken seriously. Marketing Pride simply as “Country” Charley Pride, Atkins had no photos distributed of the African American baritone. Rather, he would let the music speak for itself.

A country star was born. Before the predominantly-White country-music-lovin’ population knew what hit them, they’d bought his records, requested radio air play and made him one of the top artists for RCA Records – second only to Elvis – during Pride’s heyday in the early- to mid-70s. The strategy worked: to date, Pride has sold over 70 million records, is inducted in the Grand Ole Opry and today is arguably one of the best country singers of all time – Black or White.

There have also been other “crossover” African American artists who have made an impact on country music, such as The Pointer Sisters (“Slow Hand”); and Lionel Ritchie (who collaborated with Kenny Rogers and is credited with such hits as Rogers’ “Lady” and “Through the Years,” among other country tunes).

And lesser known Black country singers have certainly put forth great effort. In the late 90’s, Trini Triggs made a few waves on the country music scene.

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