Dinner Music: Linda Martell
Twangy, happy-sad sounds from America's first Black female country singer
Linda Martell, born as Thelma Bynem in South Carolina, was the first commercially successful Black female country singer in America and the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry. Despite her success in the field, she only recorded one album in the early seventies and left Nashville nearly as quickly as she’d come. Though the building blocks of country music come from instruments and sounds created by Black artists, the sixties and seventies left little room for Black country singers and musicians. Martell was pushed aside to make room for white country singer Jeannie C. Riley, whose fame rests of the release of Harper Valley PTA.
For the last few decades, Martell lived a nomadic life singing country across the country, opening a record store and eventually driving a school bus. Recently, she’s received some recognition for her contributions to country music, especially for paving the way for Black country artists. In 2021, she was awarded the CMT Equal Play award during the CMT Music Awards. Additionally, her granddaughter is working to produce a documentary to tell the full story of Linda Martell. Until then.
Color Me Country was released in 1970 with the album’s single Color Him Father rising to #22 on the country music charts. The album is full of twang and sweet, honeyed vocals as Martell sings on about lost love, loneliness and new beginnings. Her voice shows range and diversity, occasionally hinting at her background in gospel and R&B. The slide guitar throughout gives the album a free flowing feeling, like an idealized Nashville in the seventies. It’s country music through rose colored glasses, in the best way.
Enjoy.
Color Me Country - Linda Martell
Pair this album with:
Sweet Tea. This is Dinner Music’s first real country album, so I’ll take this opportunity to hype sweet tea. As it gets warmer, nothing tastes sweeter than an ice cold glass of homemade sweet tea. Take it from a Texas girl.
Chicken Tinga Tacos. The key to chicken tinga is letting it sit for a while. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make your own flour tortillas. I’d also pair this with some cowboy caviar.
Handblown Margarita Glasses. I’ve been staring at these for days. They’d go great with this frozen prickly pear margarita recipe.
Thank you, thank you. 🤠