In 2020, Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play on the legendary Grand Ole Opry, celebrated the fifty-year anniversary of her debut album. That record, Color Me Country, marked a vital milestone for generations of Black and brown female musicians. Mining a bounty of stories and packed with resources, this collective tribute to artists like Martell—who have defiantly loved a genre that didn’t always love them back—pairs nearly twenty mini-biographies with playful portraits in full color by Rhiannon Giddens, a musical legend in her own right. Each profile is a love letter to pioneers in country, Americana, and roots music who set the stage—or grace it today—with guts and soul. From the trailblazing Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who braved racism and sexism to infuse gospel with the blues, to “Queen of Rock” Tina Turner; from Odetta, the Voice of the Civil Rights Movement, to the heady vocals of Valerie June; from the Pointer Sisters to Our Native Daughters, Color Me Country challenges stereotypes to inspire young readers, especially Black or brown girls with a dream, to lift their voices high. Turn the book jacket over for a coloring sheet!
- Books
- Middle Grade Non-Fiction
- Color Me Country: A Celebration of Black Women Who Shaped Country Music
Color Me Country: A Celebration of Black Women Who Shaped Country Music
New
Author(s)
Publisher
Genre(s)
Age Range
10+
Release Date
May 05, 2026
ISBN
978-1536230246
Buy This Book
Multitalented Grammy Award winner Rhiannon Giddens paints women of color up-front and center-stage in this vibrant homage to some of country music’s first and finest. Featuring a coloring sheet on the back of the jacket!
Editor review
1 review
Celebration of Country Music and the Black Women who Shaped it
Overall rating
4.3
Writing Style
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
4.0
Learning Value
5.0
This book provides a brief overview of the various Black women who were important figures in country music.
What I Liked: This book begins with a brief overview of what we are to expect from the rest of this book and a brief overview of the contributions of Black women in regards to country music. You are then provided with a two page spread in which you get an illustration of the women and then an overview of that person’s specific history within country music and how they impacted this genre of music.
This book does a fantastic job of summarizing the history of each of these individuals in a manner that will hold young readers attention. This book will introduce you to new people who you may not have heard of and also share some facts that you might not have known about other famous country musicians. This book is great for inspiring young readers, to dream, and to use their voice, especially Black girls.
Final Verdict: Color Me Country: A Celebration of Black Women Who Shaped Country Music is a must have in all classrooms as it does a great job of presenting these women and explaining their contributions to this music genre. Children ages 10 and up will gain a lot of information from reading this book and those who enjoy music and history will delight in many of the fun facts you’ll gain from reading.
What I Liked: This book begins with a brief overview of what we are to expect from the rest of this book and a brief overview of the contributions of Black women in regards to country music. You are then provided with a two page spread in which you get an illustration of the women and then an overview of that person’s specific history within country music and how they impacted this genre of music.
This book does a fantastic job of summarizing the history of each of these individuals in a manner that will hold young readers attention. This book will introduce you to new people who you may not have heard of and also share some facts that you might not have known about other famous country musicians. This book is great for inspiring young readers, to dream, and to use their voice, especially Black girls.
Final Verdict: Color Me Country: A Celebration of Black Women Who Shaped Country Music is a must have in all classrooms as it does a great job of presenting these women and explaining their contributions to this music genre. Children ages 10 and up will gain a lot of information from reading this book and those who enjoy music and history will delight in many of the fun facts you’ll gain from reading.
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