SONY MUSIC NASHVILLE: HONORING BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2022 (AUDIO & VIDEO)
Hey this is Adam Doleac and in honor of Black History Month I would like to recognize Ray Charles. He’s had a huge impact on me, my music, life, society. All because he did things different even when all the cards were stacked against him. I think we can all agree music would not be music without Ray Charles.
Music from black artists has had a big impact on me and especially my musical career. You know, I grew up in Mississippi, Land of the Blues, B.B. King comes to mind. I think of some other ones: Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Amos Lee. Man, that can go on forever. They had such a big impact on not only me but I would say all of music. It’s kind of the origin of where it all started so huge impact on me and how I write songs even today and sing them as well.
Well, I mean, when I think about that, first of all in country music, Charley Pride became a really, really good friend of mine. When I was a teenager, I opened for him in my hometown in West Virginia and kept in touch and stayed friends. And I think about the trail he blazed, you know, for guys like Darius and Jimmy Allen and Mickey Guyton. I mean, and yeah, so in our format, I’m always aware of what that is of what it’s like for those guys to break in and it’s been so wonderful to watch them make great music and be welcomed with open arms and but I think back to Charley a lot, especially now that he’s gone.
Well, I mean, when I think about that, first of all in country music, Charley Pride became a really, really good friend of mine. When I was a teenager, I opened for him in my hometown in West Virginia and kept in touch and stayed friends. And I think about the trail he blazed, you know, for guys like Darius and Jimmy Allen and Mickey Guyton. I mean, and yeah, so in our format, I’m always aware of what that is of what it’s like for those guys to break in and it’s been so wonderful to watch them make great music and be welcomed with open arms and but I think back to Charley a lot, especially now that he’s gone.
Charley Pride is one of those artists that defines, I think multiple generations. You know, he is truly, always going to be revered as a legend of country music. And I feel lucky and honored that I got a chance to meet him while he was still alive, actually played a couple shows. I’ve been at a craps table with him before, having a really good time. And he was always the first person to stop and say hey, and take photos with people and just an incredible man, incredible legacy. I was also lucky enough to get a chance to sing “Kiss An Angel Good Morning” in honor of him on The Opry recently so if I had to pick a favorite song of his off the top of my head, it would be that.
Charley Pride is one of those artists that defines, I think multiple generations. You know, he is truly, always going to be revered as a legend of country music. And I feel lucky and honored that I got a chance to meet him while he was still alive, actually played a couple shows. I’ve been at a craps table with him before, having a really good time. And he was always the first person to stop and say hey, and take photos with people and just an incredible man, incredible legacy. I was also lucky enough to get a chance to sing “Kiss An Angel Good Morning” in honor of him on The Opry recently so if I had to pick a favorite song of his off the top of my head, it would be that.
The guys from Boyz 2 Men like I said, have influenced me as a vocalist so much and it’s so incredibly important to honor them during Black History Month and year-round because they’ve set records that may never be broken in a lot of different ways. And it’s so hard when you start talking about who is that one group or artist that’s indelible to you growing up listening to constantly on repeat? You know, wearing out their music to the point where your friends were like,’ Okay, we get it, you love them so much…’ but for me, it’s Boyz 2 Men. They’re definitely one of those groups.
The guys from Boyz 2 Men like I said, have influenced me as a vocalist so much and it’s so incredibly important to honor them during Black History Month and year-round because they’ve set records that may never be broken in a lot of different ways. And it’s so hard when you start talking about who is that one group or artist that’s indelible to you growing up listening to constantly on repeat? You know, wearing out their music to the point where your friends were like,’ Okay, we get it, you love them so much…’ but for me, it’s Boyz 2 Men. They’re definitely one of those groups.
In honor of Black History month I’d like to talk about Derek Jeter for a little bit. You know when I was growing up Derek Jeter was kind of the guy, he was kind of the face of baseball there for quite a while, at the time I was a big lover of baseball. I played baseball through a couple of years in college and so just really loved everything the Derek stood for and he kind of influenced my work ethic and just my overall how I want to be seen in life. He was a great role model and I think that work ethic and that kind of stuff kind of carried over into my musical career too. So I’d say he was a pretty big influence on me.
So my favorite song is Kiss Angel Good Morning (Charley Pride). And I would say he’s helped me and just the stories that I’ve heard from other people like Darius Rucker, you know, telling me how hard it was whenever he was up there for the first time on The Grand Ole Opry stage. And a lot of people hadn’t even seen him at the time. Didn’t know what he looked like and he went out there for the first time as an African American and started singing. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I heard everybody went silent. Then when he started singing, they just they went crazy for him. So it’s a true legend if he asked me.
So my favorite song is Kiss Angel Good Morning (Charley Pride). And I would say he’s helped me and just the stories that I’ve heard from other people like Darius Rucker, you know, telling me how hard it was whenever he was up there for the first time on The Grand Ole Opry stage. And a lot of people hadn’t even seen him at the time. Didn’t know what he looked like and he went out there for the first time as an African American and started singing. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I heard everybody went silent. Then when he started singing, they just they went crazy for him. So it’s a true legend if he asked me.
I’m gonna have to say Charley Pride because he opened the doors for a lot of African Americans and country music and helped pave the way to get us where we are today.
I’m gonna have to say Charley Pride because he opened the doors for a lot of African Americans and country music and helped pave the way to get us where we are today.
Charley Pride was one of the first ones to open the door for us. There’s not a lot of black people over in the country music culture so it’s cool for him to open the door for more people to come in. For people like me, Jimmie Allen, and Darius Rucker to keep it going and for more of them to come in afterwards.
Charley Pride was one of the first ones to open the door for us. There’s not a lot of black people over in the country music culture so it’s cool for him to open the door for more people to come in. For people like me, Jimmie Allen, and Darius Rucker to keep it going and for more of them to come in afterwards.
Obviously I go straight to music from Michael Jackson to Usher early on I was just obsessed with their music, their melodies, how they danced. I just wanted to be like that and they just kind of influenced how I create music, how I write music, how I sing melodically. I sung to their records all the time. I know there’s not a doubt in the world that I would be here without their music and their influence.
For Black History Month and really just always, I would love for you guys to check out some black female country artists – Linda Martell is a wonderful, early country pioneer of this genre and a black woman, Linda Martell. Check her album Color Me Country out. Rissi Palmer has some wonderful music and has been in the game for a while. Yola, my friend and fellow Highwoman. Mickey Guyton, lovely lovely girl. Check out Black Like Me, one of her most incredible songs and is now nominated for a GRAMMY. There’s so many, but those are just a few off the top of my head that you should check out. Not just for Black History Month, but you should just listen to their music always.
In honor of black history month, I want to tell y’all about an artist that has really influenced me and that I really look up to and that’s Billie Holiday. She’s one of my favorite singers of all time and she was doing it back in a time where she wasn’t accepted by everybody but she still kept pressing on, still kept doing what she knew she was meant to do in life, which was sing and make music. To me, she’s one of the greatest female singers to ever live.