"Black country has always been around, and this is a renaissance. . . .Beyoncé in many ways in that album is teaching her audiences American history and American musical history."
- Dean Hubbs
Nadine (Dean) Hubbs, Professor of Women's and Gender Studies and Music, was interviewed on Stateside, a podcast for Michigan Public, an NPR station. In a discussion with Stateside, Hubbs traced the origins of country music and the implications of "racially segregated marketing categories."
Professor Hubbs spoke at length about pop culture moments that reflect her growing body of research on country music, including Beyoncé's most recent album, Cowboy Carter, and Dolly Parton's song, "Jolene." Hubbs used her studies of music history to remark on the success of Beyoncé's album, saying that "it's been a long time since we've heard much Black country" because of the splitting of Black and White country music categories. Beyoncé's work articulates "the consequences [that have] silenced Black creators and performers of country music" and teaches listeners about the history of American music.
Hosted by April Baer, the Stateside podcast "covers what you need (and want) to know about Michigan." Often hosting policymakers, entrepreneurs, and artists, in depth conversations are aired Monday through Friday on Michigan Public.
Hubbs was able to "expand our understanding of the individuals who influenced American country music" by recounting the segregationist policies of record companies. She says:
Both Black and White musicians were playing the music that later got called country. But record companies presumed that their White customers would exclude Black music and they presumed too that their Black customers would want to listen to other Black folks performing their music. They split it up . . . into racially segregated marketing categories.
Professor Hubbs also details how Beyoncé's newest album, Cowboy Carter, teaches listeners about American history through music. Hubbs recounted her work with Dolly Parton's song "Jolene,' which is discussed at length in Hubbs' book, Rednecks, Queers, and Country Music. A cover of "Jolene" is featured on Cowboy Carter and marries a classic pop culture gem with the more contemporary country sounds of Beyoncé's recent work.
Hubbs discusses her recent research on Mexican American country music, for which she has traveled to Texas and California to study the music of the Southwest. Her upcoming project is titled Border Country: Mexico, America, and Country Music, and hopes to expand our understanding of country music's cross-cultural history and potential.
Listen to the episode here (31:22 mark).
Congratulations, Professor Hubbs!
