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Message Music: 3 Black Artists Who Helped Integrate Country Music : World Cafe : World Cafe Words and Music Podcast In this episode of Message Music, Michael Mwenso looks back on America's biggest gift to music — country — and a handful of Black artists responsible for integrating the genre.

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Message Music: 3 Black Artists Who Helped Integrate Country Music

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Michael Mwenso

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Message Music on World Cafe: Country Music

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Charley Pride, circa 1970. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Charley Pride, circa 1970.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Playlist

  • Ray Charles, "Take These Chains From My Heart"
  • Charley Pride, "All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)"
  • Linda Martell, "Then I'll Be Over You"

Artist and educator Michael Mwenso returns for another installment of Message Music, a series in which we explore the deeper meaning of music that matters to us.

In this episode, Mwenso discusses country — one of America's most significant contributions to music. Highlighting Black artists who helped to integrate the genre — Charley Pride, Linda Martell and Ray Charles — Mwenso circles back to the surprising ways country music has surfaced in his personal life.

Episode Playlist