Linda Martell and the Anglos (1962)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT4FMDyHgTY
Typical 60s girl group, and Linda Martell’s only appearance on YouTube. I don’t think I’ve heard anything else by her, and I can’t even find a picture. But she does have a particular claim to fame: in 1969, she became the first black female vocalist to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, after having a hit with a cover of the Winstons’ Color Him Father. She made a total of twelve appearances, the last one in 1974. She was reported in 1998 to be working as a school bus driver in her home town. The Pointer Sisters also did the Opry in the early 70s, but I can’t find any mention of any other black females appearing.
Linda Martell was not the first black performer on the Opry (and nor was it Charley Pride). That was Deford Bailey, one of its founding members, in 1928.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaepQHFe ... re=related
More recently, James Brown sang Mama’s Got a Brand New Bag on the Opry stage in 1979 at the invitation of Porter Wagoner, and to the stern disapproval of Roy Acuff. I would think it was on musical, rather than racial grounds; Stevie Wonder’s appearance the same year seems to have been less controversial (though I might rate JB as being more country).
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/01 ... 2047.shtml
Recommended further reading:
http://www.freewebs.com/blackyodelno1/b ... rtists.htm