Summary
Beyonce has released an album that has gone straight to the top of the country music charts.
The 27 tracks include the work of many collaborators from the world of country music, including Black country artist Linda Martell and Dolly Parton’s 1974 song Jolene.
It has been so well received it has become the fastest selling album of the year.
Beyonce is usually known for her pop and RnB. Her success in the country music genre has opened up a wider debate about where country music originates from, who it belongs to and its political associations.
This week on the Inquiry we are asking, who is country ?
Contributors:
William Nash, Professor of American Studies and English at Middleburgh College Francesca Inglese, assistant professor in the Department of Music at Northeastern University Taylor Crumpton, music critic and culture writer from Dallas, Texas Charles Hughes, associate professor at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee and co-founder of the No Fences Review
Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producers: Louise Clarke and Lorna Reader Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey
Image credit: Reuters
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | My name is Mikita Oliver and I'm Lily Allen. In our new podcast we talk about the big issues and the little ones and everything in between in the way that only best friends do. |
| 0:12.0 | With brutal, brutal honesty. |
| 0:15.0 | We'll be talking about things like early crushes, techno and ambition. |
| 0:20.0 | I've had a few celebrity crushes for the most part they've come true. |
| 0:24.7 | Miss me with Lily Allen and McEater Oliver listen on BBC sounds. Welcome to the inquiry with me Tanya Beckett. |
| 0:39.0 | One question, four expert witnesses, and an answer. |
| 0:45.0 | A photograph for a music album shows a woman sitting sideways on a white horse, |
| 0:51.0 | locks flowing cowboy hat on, the female rider is holding an American flag, |
| 0:57.4 | as if triumphant at a rodeo. |
| 1:01.2 | It's an image that strongly evokes the spirit of country music. |
| 1:05.0 | The 27 tracks include the work of many collaborators from the world of country music. |
| 1:12.0 | There's even a rendition of Dolly Parton's 1974 song |
| 1:16.9 | Jolene. It's so well received it becomes the fastest selling album of the year. |
| 1:23.0 | So far, there's nothing really surprising about any of this. |
| 1:27.0 | The country music industry has seen a steady growth in popularity in recent years, |
| 1:32.0 | with an increasing number of fans and |
| 1:35.0 | artists and not just in the United States. Canada and Australia are also huge |
| 1:40.7 | markets. Record sales of country music make up over a tenth of total |
| 1:46.3 | music sales. But the artist behind this work is one of the most successful of all |
| 1:52.3 | time. However, she's best known not for country music, |
| 1:56.5 | but pop and R&B. This is her first real foray into country, and she's immediately propelled to the top of America's Hot Country songs chart. |
| 2:08.0 | Oh yes, and her name is Beyonce and she's black. This week on the inquiry we're asking who is |
... |
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