It’s Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter release week and it’s time to celebrate. She officially kicked off the party yesterday by revealing the tracklist, with a full 27 songs that fans can hear very soon. One of the tracks caught people’s attention, as it was titled “The Linda Martell Show” — leaving many searching for more information about who she is.
Here’s what to know about the historical figure that Beyoncé pulled her inspiration from.
Who Is Linda Martell From Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Album?
Linda Martell is known as the first successful Black female performer in country music, which is why Beyoncé wanted to pay tribute to her. Although she retired in 1974, she had played the Grand Ole Opry as a solo artist. While she originally started by making pop music, according to a profile in Rolling Stone, Martell was encouraged to try her hand at country music in 1969 by an A&R representative named Shelby Singleton Jr. — and she signed a deal with him.
“Country music tells a story,” she told the publication in 2020. “When you choose a song and you can feel it, that’s what made me feel great about what I was singing. I did a lot of country songs, and I loved every one of them. Because they just tell a story.”
Cowboy Carter is out 3/29 via Parkwood/Columbia. Find more information here.