Color Me Country™ Artist Grant Fund

In December of 2020, The Rainey Day Artist Fund partnered with me to create the Color Me Country Artist Fund to build on the work I do with Color Me Country Radio on Apple Music. The mission is the same: to support the underrepresented voices of BIPOC artists in country music that, for too long, have lived outside the spotlight and off the airwaves.

Linda Martell

Last year marked 50 years since the debut album by Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry and to chart a song on the Billboard Country Chart. Her album, Color Me Country, was the foundation upon which I, and everyone after her, have built their careers. Because of racism and sexism, Linda was blacklisted and pushed to the margins of country music history. The more I learned of Linda’s story, the more I realized that I could have very easily found myself in the same position, had it not been for resources and opportunity.

It was then I decided that no other artist should face this fight alone or have to leave the business simply because of a lack of financial help. The work with Color Me Country — both the radio show and the artist fund — are my love letter to every artist of color whose names we’ll never know who made it possible for me to first step on that Opry stage in 2008.

To date, the CMC AF raised over $175,000 and distributed over 80 grants to BIPOC country music artists, several of whom have also been honored with inclusion in CMT’s Next Women of Country program and has sent 13 artists to Europe, all expenses paid, to play on the Color Me Country Takeover Stage at the Long Road Festival… and we’re just getting started.                                                                              

                                                                 Click here to apply for the Color Me Country Artist Grant

                                                   

Recipients of the Color Me Country Artist Grant

From top left to right: Ashlie Amber, Chapel Hart, Kris Londyn, Micah McClendon, Tristan McIntosh, Kären McCormick, Kendra Neece, Lizzie No, Camille Parker, Valerie Ponzio, Kathryn Shipley, Haeley Vaughn, Sacha, Michael B. Whit, Julie Williams, Delila Black, Neffy, D’Orjay the Singing Shaman, Star De Azlan, Crystal Shawanda, Kam Franklin, Madeline EdwardsJett Holden, PetrellaTae Lewis, Queen Esther, Lenworth Poyser, Joe West, Roberta Lea, Lilli Lewis, Dayanara Fernandez, Roger Dale, Stephanie Jacques, Frankie Staton, Valierie Hawkins, “Nitty Gritty” Greg Roberts, Debbii Dawson, Natalie Jean, Setche Kwamu-Nana, Yote Mills, Odiss Kohn, Timmy Dunn, Joy Clark, Julia Cannon, Anthony Pace, Tylar Bryant, The Kentucky Gentlemen, Charly Lowry, Audrey Tucker, Ashleigh Brae, Tony Evans Jr., Jada Cato, Shannon Boone, Autumn Nicholas, Leon Timbo, Aaron Vance, Chianti, Huneyfire, Riki Stevens, Phoebe White, Larysa Jaye, Lady Nade, Roy Roberts, Rebecca Porter, Lori Rayne, Whitney Monge, Drake Sukarno, Alyssa Dominguez, Sam Rise, Jalyne, Kandia Crazy Horse, Nick Tabron, Autumn D, Elexa Dawson, Crystal Rose, Rachel Rodriguez, Lex Lashaun, Kapali Long, Serafia, Chris Davis, Roz Malone, Lexie Dean, Misha Fair, Lala Luna