April 7 will see the release of “For Love & Country,” a new Amazon Music Original feature-length documentary that highlights prominent Black voices who are pushing country music forward with unprecedented fanfare. Director and photographer Joshua Kissi direct the nearly two-hour film. It features an impressive array of established and rising Black country music stars, plus several well-regarded commenters.
Interviews and performances in the piece are delivered by 2022 Grammy nominees Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton, Valerie June, Amythyst Kiah and Allison Russell. As well, breakout stars Blanco Brown and Brittney Spencer are also featured. Plus, many performers highlighting Amazon’s activity in spotlighting Black evolutions in country music are present. These include 2022 Breakthrough Artist for Amazon Music BRELAND, 2021 Amazon Music Artist to Watch Shy Carter, plus 2022’s Artists to Watch for Amazon Music, Willie Jones and Reyna Roberts. As well, pianist and singer-songwriter Frankie Staton — the Black Country Music Association co-founder in 1995 — makes an appearance.
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Notable local Nashville residents, including journalist and New York Times bestselling author Andrea Williams, Davidson County criminal court clerk and former vice mayor Howard Gentry, academic and author Amanda Marie Martínez, and rapper Mike Floss are also included in the feature.
Regarding the forthcoming documentary, Raymond Roker, global head of editorial for Amazon Music, made the following statement via a press release: “In telling this story, it was imperative for us to amplify the personal narratives of these wonderfully diverse country artists because in them lie the stories of Black contributions to the genre. These are also very universal stories of acceptance, being welcome into spaces we choose to occupy despite how open the door is to us, and how stories and history can become marginalized over time. The title of the film is also a reminder that these artists have all come from a place of love, adoration, and even reverence for country music’s past, its heroes, and contributors across the spectrum.”
Moreover, adds Brittney Spencer, “This film is our collective story, in our own words. We’re all carving our own unique paths. We’ve all got our own dreams and challenges, and our own ways of navigating them. I hope when people see this film, they better understand the conversation of race in country music. I hope it humanizes the discussed issues and puts a crowd of Black, beautiful faces to a topic the public has heavily engaged & debated, particularly over the last two years. I’m happy to be a part and share my story.”