Afro Country

by Frank M. Roberts

October 2015

In the 1970s, Charley Pride burst onto the country music scene, and Linda Martell became the first African-American girl singer to play the Grand Ole Opry.

It was a far different cry in the decade before that when James Crow sang, "Cowboys and N----s," and Johnny Rebel recorded, "Move Them N-----s North," and "N---- Hatin' Me."

Rebel, inspired by the spirit of the Ku Klux Klan, was a short, bald Cajun who enjoyed watching Gene Autry and Roy Rogers movies, not realizing that Rogers had worked with black artists. It is a scenario similar to that experienced by the followers of Alabama Gov. George Wallace, whose motto was, "segregation now, segregation forever." Obviously, that did not apply to his own mixed race family.

During his final term of office, he hired many African-Americans, more than any northern state. The assassination attempt on his life was a mind-changer.

The major label for Rebel and Crow was Reb Rebel. Currently, their offerings are for sale as bootlegs, selling on the internet for up to $60. Note: In Europe, many countries do not permit circulation of hate records. In America, hate music is protected by the First Amendment - Freedom of Speech. In the last two years, such music has been on display at some concerts in North Carolina and Florida. (The Klan-inspired releases are banned on E-Bay).

There were more than 500 hate labels making the rounds, according to the Anti-Defamation League. And, during that era, on a major label, Merle Haggard performed, "Irma Jackson," a song about interracial sex. On the other hand, he wrote, "I'm A White Boy." He didn't record that song but, as far ahead as 1975, Jim Mundy cut it for a large label, ABC-Dot, the Chordettes ("Mr. Sandman") recording home.

For the most part, of course, country music was white music, but there were some interesting exceptions. In the late 1920s, DeFord Bailey, an African-American harmonica player was the first Grand Ole Opry performer - black or white.

Listeners demanded more of him, his records were respectable sellers, and his concerts (often working with some of the best-known white country artists) drew good-sized audiences, with Bailey the usual recipient of the greatest applause.

As expected, he could not room, or dine, with his fellow artists on tour in the South. Two of the best known artists of the day, The Delmore Brothers, fought to at least allow him to eat in kitchens. On top of that, they smuggled him into their hotel room where Bailey, who was barely five feet tall, slept between them.

He often worked with Roy Acuff, the most famous artist of that era, who said, "he could draw a crowd." Bluegrass legend, Bill Monroe, called Bailey, "a good, decent man," wrote Robert K. Oermann in his book, "Behind the Grand Ole Opry Curtain."

The Depression hurt the music business, as well as so many other businesses. Bailey opened a barbecue eatery, and operated Nashville's first integrated hotel. Later, he worked his shoeshine stand. In 1960, his son, DeFord Bailey Jr., was a regular on the television show, "Night Train." A fellow musician on that show was Jimi Hendrix. Daddy DeFord often guested.

All well and good but, in Indiana the hate records were still spinning, some of them managing some airplay on a few radio stations.

There was some black-white mixing in the '30s and '40s, however tenuous. One of Loretta Lynn's Coal Miners (her band, for the uninitiated) was an African-American who quit following a rather innocuous remark by the star; Bob Wills hired a black trumpeter for his Texas Playboys, but fired him the next day. Wills was drunk when he hired him; Wills often recorded western swing versions of big band swing songs popularized by African-Americans - Duke Ellington being a particular favorite.

Side note: Of all the older stars I knew I was closest to Faron Young, thanks to his many visits to Michael's, an old Virginia Beach club. He was an outspoken rascal. I also met Pride, a soft-spoken gentleman. In his book, Oermann tells this story (excuse the language, but the story would not work any other way): Pride was advised that if he could get past redneck Young, he would be okay.

Pride tracked Young to a bar and sang to him. Soon, they were trading tunes. Young said, "I can't believe I'm singing with a jig and I don't mind it." Pride said, "I was waiting for you to call me worse, and if you did, I was ready to call you a pucker-mouthed banty rooster son of a Peckerwood."

The two not only became close friends, but Young championed Pride's career and, sometimes, served as his defender.

Pride opened for some of Young's shows. Young told him if he was going to ride on his bus, he would have to sit in the back. Pride said, "it ain't like that no more, you little banty rooster. (Young was 5'6" tall).

Here is the best part of the Young-Pride story. Faron Young was a major star, starred in some western movies, and was an artist-in-demand. He found out that one radio station was throwing out Pride's records. He called and asked, "do you have any Faron Young records at your station?" The radio man said he did. "Well, throw 'em out with Charley Pride's then," Young said. "If I ever hear of your station playing one of my songs again, I'll come back and burn the place down."

Today's country superstars, for the most part, have no such problems. Most of them work, quite often, with African-American artists. Toby Keith had a black man in his band. No tokenism. Charles 'Chuck' Goff Jr. was the bandleader, bass player, and a songwriter. The two men were close friends for 25 years. After Goff was killed in an auto accident, Keith wrote and recorded a song in tribute to him.

Nowadays, Pride appears mostly on shows saluting country music's old timers. But, an African-American currently topping the charts regularly is Darius Rucker, a pop fugitive from Hootie and the Blowfish.

Final note: In the interest of equal space, I devote some print to Pride's wife, Rozene. Wisdom? She has it. The couple have been wed for more than half-a-century. She shares their secret of marital bliss.

"One, he has his space and I have mine. His space consists of golf every day and my space means going to the office (managing the Pride empire) and taking care of business, so he can play golf every day.

"Two - communication. Very important. He communicates. I listen.

Three - the main reason for such longevity is that neither of us has died."

It should be noted that one of her hubby's biggest hits is, "Kiss An Angel Good Morning."