Shaboozey grabbed his first Grammy tonight and got emotional talking about country music’s Black history.
The Virginia artist won Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Amen” with Jelly Roll at the 68th Grammy Awards. He couldn’t stop crying during his acceptance speech.
“I feel everything from our ancestors in that moment,” Shaboozey said backstage. “All generations of people working and being proud and wanting to see their kids do better than they had.”
The win carries extra weight for Black artists in country music. Shaboozey researched the history after his victory and found that only a handful of Black artists have won country Grammys.
“Charlie Pride won three. Beyoncé won one last year,” he explained. “It’s cool to be in such a small group of individuals that have won this.”
Country music’s roots run deep in African American culture. The banjo came to America from West Africa via enslaved people. They created it from gourds and called it the Akonting.
Black musicians played fiddle and banjo at dances across the South for centuries. These became the core instruments of early country string bands.
Black artists shaped country music from its earliest days. DeFord Bailey played harmonica on the Grand Ole Opry in the 1920s. Ray Charles recorded Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music in 1962.
Charley Pride became the country’s first Black superstar in the 1960s and ’70s. He won three Grammys and the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year award in 1971.
“I came into the genre not knowing how much history there really was,” Shaboozey admitted. “The music belongs to Black people as well. It belongs to us. It belongs to everybody.”
The 29-year-old artist dedicated his Grammy to immigrants and their children. His parents came to America seeking better opportunities for their family.
Shaboozey’s#### “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” dominated country radio for months. The track samples J-Kwon’s 2004 Hip-Hop hit “Tipsy” and bridges genres naturally.
His Grammy win opens doors for other Black country artists. He mentioned Reyna Roberts, Angel White, Willie Jones and Brittney Spencer as artists ready for their breakthrough moments.
“I hope after this, it opens the floodgates and there’s more stories,” he said. “Anybody who wants it and works hard, it’s there for them too.”
Jelly Roll wasn’t present for the ceremony but won multiple Grammys tonight. Shaboozey praised his collaborator’s work ethic and connection with fans.
His victory speech honored generations of Black musicians who paved the way. He felt their presence in that Grammy moment.
Country music’s future looks more inclusive with artists like Shaboozey leading the charge. His Grammy win proves the genre’s doors are opening wider.
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