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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 28 February 2019
Jimmie Allen is a reflection of a new country music world

By KRISTIN M. HALL white man from the South.
Associated Press "People always used to
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — say, 'You can grow up and
Country singer Jimmie Allen be anything you want.
likes to tell a story about the You can be president,'" Al-
first time he met songwriter len said. "But until Obama
J.P. Williams, who is blind, became president, you
before they came up with couldn't really tell a black
Allen's No. 1 hit single "Best kid that you could be presi-
Shot." dent because there wasn't
"I said, 'I don't know if one. So I feel like represen-
anyone told you, but I'm tation is very important."
black,'" Allen said. "'So keep For generations, the Afri-
the black jokes to a mini- can-American contribution
mum.'" to country music has been
Allen, who made history largely underappreciated,
last year for being the first despite the fact that black
black artist to launch his musicians have been in-
career with a No. 1 single trinsic to the genre's ori-
on the Billboard Country gins and development. But
Airplay chart, isn't afraid of Hubbs said there is more
joking about the elephant scholarship about country
in the room: He's usually music like "Hidden in the
the only black man in the In this Jan. 22, 2019, photo, country singer Jimmie Allen poses in Nashville, Tenn. Allen is the first Mix: The African American
country song writers' room. black artist to launch his career with a No. 1 single on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. Presence in Country Music,"
He and artists like Kane Associated Press by Diane Pecknold and
Brown, 25, who is biracial, more artists like Rhiannon
are appealing to millennial of "Rednecks, Queers and on Facebook. Allen, who traditional country music Giddens who are bringing
and Gen Z listeners who Country Music." has the charisma of a sea- themes of small towns, rural attention to black Ameri-
aren't traditional country Certainly, there's not a sea soned TV pro, posts a lot of life, love and romance and can folk music. Hubbs said
fans but are discovering change, but there is in- pictures on Instagram of his the simple pleasures of life. greater knowledge about
country music in different cremental change even adorable 4-year-old son or At the same time, both Al- race and country music
platforms, such as stream- as the genre is shrinking its his trips to Disney World. len and Brown aren't afraid trickles down into popular
ing, YouTube and social gender diversity. Last year, Brown has had a lot of cross- to address race in their culture.
media. That has allowed three artists who are minori- over opportunities, sing- songs, which previously Pride is the subject of a re-
these black artists to suc- ties, Allen, Brown and Darius ing with artists like Camila generations of black coun- cent PBS "American Mas-
ceed in a predominantly Rucker, scored No. 1 coun- Cabello and Khalid, while try artists weren't always ters" special detailing his
white musical landscape. try airplay hits, which is only Allen, who is newer to the able to do. upbringing out of segrega-
"The folks that listen to slightly less than the four fe- genre and has had less col- On his 2018 debut record tion to become CMA en-
Kane Brown and the folks male artists who reached laborations, has pop and on Stoney Creek called tertainer of the year. And
that have started to listen the top spot with their own rock influences in his music. "Mercury Lane," Allen co- both the Grand Ole Opry
to Jimmie Allen, many of songs or as a duet partner. But both still hold tightly to wrote a song called "All and the Country Music
them would not call them- Both Brown and Allen are their country roots and their Tractors Ain't Green," di- Hall of Fame and Museum
selves country fans," said skilled at reaching new country vocals and they rectly challenging stereo- have honored Ray Charles
Nadine Hubbs, professor audiences through social are well-versed in country types about being black, in recent months for open-
of women's studies and media, with Brown even music history, Hubbs said. being rural and being able ing many people's eyes to
music at the University of scoring a record deal be- Like Charley Pride and to sing about those things what was previously con-
Michigan and the author cause of his country covers Rucker, Allen sings about even though he's not a sidered white hillbilly music.
Charles' classic 1962 record,
"Modern Sounds in Country
Encore run of 'A Star Is Born' features more footage, songs and Western Music," was
also finally released this
month on streaming servic-
Associated Press es, hopefully to bring in a
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Can't stop watch- new generation of listeners
ing Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's to his country records.
Oscar-night performance of "Shallow"? "Right now folks on social
You're in luck: Warner Bros. is bringing a media, the younger gen-
special encore version of "A Star Is Born" eration of music lovers are
back to the big screen Friday with near- getting the memo that
ly 12 additional minutes of footage. country music was never
The studio said Wednesday that the so-called pure white mu-
new edition will feature extended per- sic," Hubbs said.
formances of songs sung by Gaga like Jon Loba, the executive
"Alibi," and an a cappella "Shallow," vice president of BBR Music
which won the Oscar Sunday for best Group, which has top artists
original song. It will also feature brand like Jason Aldean, as well
new scenes between the two leads Ally as rising stars like Lindsay Ell
and Jack. and Dustin Lynch, didn't re-
Lady Gaga, left, and Bradley Cooper perform "Shallow" from "A Star is Born" at the The one week engagement starts Friday ally consider signing Allen
Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. on over 1,150 screens in the U.S. and as a riskier choice than any
Associated Press Canada.q other new artist.q