Black Country Is Not a Fad. It’s a Legacy.

In 1962, the rhythm-and-blues singer and piano player Ray Charles attempted something new, unexpected, and potentially hazardous to his career. For his 17th album, , he recorded standards by such titans as Hank Williams and Don Gibson. But instead of pedal steel guitars and fiddles, Charles opted for big-band orchestration and opulent strings. His record label and colleagues at first disapproved of the concept. They argued that he’d confuse his predominantly African American fans, who were assumed to be uninterested in country music, and fail to attract white consumers, who might be put off by a Black man’s spin on the genre. However, was an immediate hit, selling half a million copies in its first three months and earning a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. It proved that country music could be a ripe landscape