No Sweeter Sound: The History of Black Country Music

Written by Francesca T. Royster and BackStories

Narrated by Francesca T. Royster and Deanna Anthony

In the early days of the twentieth century, a new American art form was emerging, drawing from various folk music traditions and contemporary popular culture. Today, that medium is known as country music, a genre that inspires passion from fans and critics alike.

But as country music grew to become one of North America’s most popular musical institutions and develop a rich history, crucial contributions from Black artists — without whom the genre arguably could not exist as we know it today — were neglected and overlooked by fans, critics, and the country music establishment. In No Sweeter Sound, Francesca T. Royster, DePaul University professor of English and author of Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions, highlights these contributions, puts them in context, and explores what we can learn from Black country musicians and their reception.

In our conversation with Royster, we discussed the origins of the “hillbilly music” genre that would later be called country and the role Blackness and race played in its establishment; major figures in the history of Black country music, including Charley Pride, Tina Turner, Darius Rucker, and Lil Nas X; the musical accomplishments of Black women in country; the recent history of Black country music in light of the “bro country” boom and the politically charged atmosphere of post-9/11 America; and more. 

Country music fanatics and skeptics alike are sure to gain new perspectives from No Sweeter Sound. Dive in and feel the music.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BackStories
• Release date: May 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781094455426

Francesca T. Royster

Francesca T. Royster is a professor of English at DePaul University, author of Sounding Like a No-No: Queer Sounds and Eccentric Acts in the Post-Soul Era, Becoming Cleopatra: The Shifting Image of an Icon, and Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions, and coeditor of "Uncharted Country," a special issue of the Journal of Popular Music Studies on race and country music.

Reviews for No Sweeter Sound

[Cilica · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Narrators voice sound is unpleasant. The information is important and informative.