4 Pioneering Black Musicians You Need To Know!

In honor of Black History Month, we're taking a moment to remember Black artists who were essential in the creation of both rock & roll and country music. These artists helped shape the sound and rhythm of these music genres, which led to modern artists and songs that many enjoy now. They also helped break down barriers and challenge stereotypes. Thanks to these 4 artists and their innovations and influence, rock & roll and country music were formed and evolved!

1. Little Richard

Referred to as the "Architect of Rock and Roll", Little Richard was one of the most influential figures in popular music and culture for over 7 decades. Little Richard, born Richard Wayne Penniman, fell in love with music and singing at a young age. He specifically loved singing at Pentecostal churches because of their charismatic worship and live music. He would eventually leave school before entering the 10th grade to play music in medicine shows and perform in drag in Vaudevillian theater troupes. 

He would go on to record his first hit single, "Tutti Frutti", in 1955. This single featured an energetic melody, a hard-driving sound, and sexually liberated lyrics. The single became a model for future rock & roll songs. "Tutti Frutti" introduced several of the components that make rock & roll music so loved and enjoyable. The song had the preference of a loud volume, powerful vocal style, and a distinctive beat and rhythm and became the basis for the standard rock beat, which was later consolidated by Chuck Berry. 

Little Richard’s stage presence also paved the way for the aesthetics of rock & roll concerts. He had a strong stage presence, standing up while playing his piano (a practice that was very rare for musicians in his day) and wore bold makeup paired with outfits that had a gender-bending style. His style and stage presence heavily influenced famous rock legends like Mick Jagger. 

Little Richard established the blueprint for rock & roll music as a high energy, rebellious, and gender-bending genre.

2. Big Mama Thornton

The original singer behind Elvis Presley’s hit "Hound Dog" was Willie Mae Thornton, famously known as Big Mama Thornton. Thornton was an American singer and songwriter of blues and R&B music, and through her raw, thunderous vocals and magnetic stage presence, she paved the way for rock music’s emotional power and rebellious energy. 

Thornton first recorded "Hound Dog" in 1952, and it became her biggest hit. She sold over 500,000 copies and the single remained at #1 for 7 weeks on the Billboard R&B chart in 1953. This song is known for being important to the beginnings of the rock & roll music genre due to its use of the guitar as a single instrument. 

Her vocal style and commanding stage presence also helped revolutionize early rock & roll. One of her most known songs is "Ball and Chain". Through its raw, emotional, and powerful blues-rock vocals, this song paved the way for the sound and feel of rock & roll music. It influenced how rock & roll singers use their vocals when performing their heavy songs. The song was also included on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock & Roll. 

She also helped future female rock & roll singers by showing them that they can wear whatever they want. According to an ABC 13 article, she helped break stereotypes regarding how a woman should dress. "She would frequently wear men’s clothing, which, even today, maybe less so than the '40s and '50s, but certainly in the 1940s and '50s, people took note of what she wore and had opinions of what she should or shouldn’t look like."

Through her voice and style, she helped pioneer rock & roll’s rebellious aesthetic. 

3. Deford Bailey

Deford Bailey, known as the first Black country music star, was a musician and songwriter. He was one of the first artists to record country-style music in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Bailey made his first recording in 1928 for the RCA Victor company. These recordings included songs like "Pan American Blues" and "John Henry", which were among the first country-style records made in Nashville and would later become the heart of the country music industry. The tracks influenced the way country songs were arranged and performed, particularly with harmonica, guitar, and vocal techniques. 

He is often referred to as a Harmonica Whiz. His innovative harmonica techniques, bending notes, dynamic phrasing, and "talking" instrument style were new in recorded country music. His harmonica became a signature sound for early country radio, especially through the Grand Ole Opry broadcasts. 

Bailey helped shape country music by blending African-American blues with rural folk melodies, pioneering harmonica techniques, and bringing this sound to national audiences. 

4. Charley Pride

Charley Frank Pride was an American country singer and baseball player. He became country music’s first Black superstar. 

Pride found success through the release of his third single "Just Between You and Me", released in September 1966 and topped the country music charts. In 1967, he became the second Black performer to appear at the Grand Ole Opry, a live country music radio broadcast, the first being founding member Deford Bailey. He also continued to climb the country music charts with songs like "All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)" and "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin". 

Even though Black artists helped create country music, during the 1950s and 1960s, very few of them were recognized in the mainstream music scene. Pride’s success challenged stereotypes and broke racial barriers. He showed that audiences could embrace a Black performer as long as their music was excellent. He created a space where Black artists could thrive.