In January of 1970, Linda Martell, a Black woman, released a Country music album. Ironically titled Color Me Country, this album reached what many would consider great success, as three of the album’s singles climbed all the way to numbers 58, 33 and 22 on Country Music Billboard charts. Linda was also the first Black woman to perform on what’s considered “country’s most famous stage”, The Grand Ole Opry.

 

January of 2020 marked the 50th anniversary of Linda’s one and only studio album. Since then, there has been renewed interest in who Linda Martell is. After the publishing of a few recent articles on Linda, the tireless work of journalists like Andrea Williams, who’s constantly fighting to make sure that Linda’s and other black voices of Country music are heard, and the educating conversations about Linda’s bold efforts during a time where people who looked like Linda were still fighting to simply be treated like human beings, like those featured on Country music artist Rissi Palmer’s Color Me Country Radio on Apple Music, https://music.apple.com/us/curator/color-me-country/1500977601 Linda has received far more attention for her contributions to country music than she has ever before. 

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With a documentary on the way, this page was created as a way to keep those interested in Linda’s story up to date and in the know. Updated photos, progress on her upcoming documentary, her story, told by her, all coming soon!