Amazon Music has announced a new original documentary, For Love & Country, which will debut on April 7.
The documentary explores country music, positioning the genre as Black music and arguing why it always has been.
The original feature-length documentary will look at the country genre that owes part of its origin story to Black musicians and the prominent Black voices that have pushed the genre forward that haven’t been recognized or celebrated
Directed by director and photographer Joshua Kissi, For Love & Country examines country music through the personal stories of a new generation of Black country artists claiming space in Nashville who are helping to transform the genre in the process.
“What I’ve come to realize is country music as a genre is just as complex as this country itself,” said Kissi in a statement. “Now is the moment to stand up for the voices that have always mattered throughout time, especially the musicians who didn’t get the credit when it was due.”
Country music artist Mickey Guyton said of the project, “I’ve always believed in the old saying, ‘if you can see it, you can be it, however, it’s no secret there has been a lack of representation of Black artists in mainstream country music for years. That’s why I hope little Black girls growing up now can see us, artists like Brittney, Reyna, Amythyst, Allison, Valerie, Frankie and me, and know they have a place here in country music. We all do.”
Here is the official description of the new documentary:
Here is the official description of the new documentary:
For Love & Country is an exploration of the space between myth and reality of a genre, an industry, and a city. A new crop of Black artists are seeking to change country’s long-held identity as music by-and-for white audiences. As seen in the trailer out today, For Love & Country features interviews and performances from current Best New Artist Grammy-nominee Jimmie Allen, Grammy-nominated Blanco Brown, Breakthrough Artist for Amazon Music BRELAND, award-winning songwriter and 2021 Amazon Music Artist to Watch Shy Carter, Grammy-nominee Mickey Guyton, Grammy-nominee Valerie June, Grammy-nominee Amythyst Kiah, 2022 Artists to Watch for Amazon Music, Willie Jones and Reyna Roberts, Grammy-nominee Allison Russell, rising star Brittney Spencer, and pianist and singer-songwriter Frankie Staton. Local Nashville residents will also be featured, 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.
“This film is our collective story, in our own words,” said Brittney Spencer. “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.”
Raymond Roker, global head of editorial for Amazon Music said of the revolutionary project : “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.”
For Love & Country arrives on Amazon Music and Prime Video on April 7.
