Episode 4.07: The Country Lane

My Racist Friend

Amy and Don dive into the intricacies of popular music and the persistent racism evident in how we react to it. They react to Beyoncé's new hit "Texas Hold'em" and her venture into the country genre, looking at the resistance from certain factions of society and questioning the inherent racial prejudice within it.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• "Beyoncé - TEXAS HOLD 'EM (Music Video)" posted by rauhlren
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycwtqqhV6UE

• "Beyoncé Fan’s Radio Request Reignites Country Music Debate" (NY Times, February 14, 2024, by Emily Schmall)
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/arts/music/beyonce-oklahoma-radio-station.html

• "Dolly Parton congratulates Beyoncé for hitting No. 1 on Billboard Hot Country Chart" (CNN, February 23, 2024, by Marianne Garvey)
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/23/entertainment/dolly-parton-beyonce/index.html

• Black Opry playlists (Spotify)
https://open.spotify.com/user/w57z8r3lywbmreubufwxm6vgf?si=OI0KTI1QR8aW3xqLIeA56A&nd=1&dlsi=862ee4561f6c4aad

• "Beyoncé Makes History as First Black Woman Atop Hot Country Songs Chart" (Billboard, February 20, 2024, by Jim Asker, Gary Trust)
https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/beyonce-texas-hold-em-number-1-hot-country-songs-chart-1235610582/

• "The Black Origins of Country Music" (JME)
https://www.wjct.org/jme/2022/06/the-black-origins-of-country-music/

• "Yup, Lionel Richie Totally Wrote the Second Verse of Kenny Rogers’ ‘Lady’ In the Men’s Room" (Billboard, March 31, 2023, by Gil Kaufman)
https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/lionel-richie-wrote-second-verse-kenny-rogers-lady-bathroom-1235296133/

• "What If Brock Purdy Were Black?" (First and Pen, October 30, 2023, by Yussuf Khan)
https://firstandpen.com/what-if-brock-purdy-were-black/

• "New evidence shows how badly NFL teams discriminate against Black QBs in the draft" (SF Gate, September 11, 2023, by Marc Delucchi)
https://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/nfl-draft-analysis-racial-bias-quarterbacks-18355172.php

• "NFL Network graphic insinuating Brock Purdy is smarter than Dak Prescott is a bad look" (Deadpan, January 19 2023, by Stephen Knox)
https://deadspin.com/dak-prescott-brock-purdy-nfl-total-access-playoffs-1850008853

• "Serena Williams became the greatest tennis player of all-time even as she endured racist and sexist attacks in the media" (Business Insiders, August 13, 2022, by Scott Davis, Trisha Gopal)
https://www.businessinsider.com/serena-williams-endured-racism-sexism-media-throughout-career-2022-8

• "The Evolution of Taylor Swift From Country Star to Pop Icon" (Country Living, October 28, 2021, by Charlotte Chilton)
https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/g36298587/evolution-taylor-swift/

• "‘DUKES OF HAZZARD’ ACTOR JOHN SCHNEIDER UNDER FIRE FOR ‘RACIST’ REMARKS ABOUT BEYONCÉ SINGING COUNTRY MUSIC: ‘EVERY DOG MUST MARK EVERY TREE, RIGHT?’" (Black Enterprise)
https://www.blackenterprise.com/dukes-hazzard-actor-beyonce-dog/

• "Blaming President Donald Trump Is Too Easy: This Is Us. | Deadline | MSNBC" (YouTube, August 5, 2019, by MSNBC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKiB0APdxTo

• "Chris Stapleton & Justin Timberlake 's Epic Performance | Tennessee Whiskey & Drink You Away" (YouTube, August 18, 2023, by Dennis Mellon)
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/arts/music/beyonce-oklahoma-radio-station.html

• "Billboard removes rapper Lil Nas X from country chart" (AP, March 28, 2019, by Kristin M. Hall)
https://apnews.com/article/6045fec139204644b616afb63622c2d9

• "Watch LUKE COMBS & TRACY CHAPMAN Perform "FAST CAR" at the 2024 GRAMMYs" (YouTube, February 15, 2024, by Recording Academy / GRAMMYs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEqb6xbeuCo

• "https://www.tiktok.com/@mygayfabulousfarm/video/7335886049572310318" (TikTok, February 17, 2024, by mygayfabulousfarm)
https://www.tiktok.com/@mygayfabulousfarm/video/7335886049572310318

• "Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" (YouTube, by Concord Records)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgWmP-F0RTPOl1OjguwDkKwjFFiMmQZs5

My Racist Friend is a podcast about the messy parts of relationships that help us grow together. Long-time friends Don Griffin, Jr. and Amy Makice, LCSW, enter into a transparent and ongoing conversation about complicated and difficult topics such as racism, gender, and social justice. Through the authentic lens of their strong mutual relationship, their goal is to model difficult conversations that can promote understanding and connection in a world that needs both. In this relationship, Amy is the inherently racist friend, who is working to change and better understand how racism impacts her relationship with people she loves.

Donald Griffin Jr. is a Bloomington native, former Deputy Mayor for Bloomington, and a real estate broker, proudly serving his community for the past three decades. Since opening Griffin Realty in 2003, Don's dedication to excellence has helped to guide his company to be among the top producers in Indiana with nearly a half billion in individual lifetime sales.

Amy Makice, founder of Bloomington Center for Connection, is a licensed psychotherapist based in Bloomington, Indiana. Her professional journey is rooted in her passion for Relational-Cultural Therapy (RCT), and her commitment to RCT extends into community building initiatives to promote the power of connection. Amy helps to bring the Relational Summits to Bloomington, featuring distinguished guests like Maureen Walker, Amy Banks, and Isaac Knapper.

Buy "Your Racist Friend" by They Might Be Giants on iTunes