Viral Shaboozey moment shines light on Black country trailblazers
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Shaboozey and Megan Moroney onstage at the 2025 American Music Awards. Photo: Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images
Up-and-coming artist Shaboozey sparked a viral moment at the American Music Awards this week when he appeared with fellow upstart Megan Moroney.
Driving the news: During the presentation for favorite country duo or group, while Moroney was reading from the teleprompter, she said the Carter Family "basically invented country music." The Carters are known as "the first family of country music" and participated in the iconic Bristol Sessions.
- Shaboozey flashed a skeptical expression, paused briefly and chuckled before continuing with the script. Watch the clip.
Why it matters: The exchange is reviving impassioned discussions about diversity and inclusion in country music.
- The show drew attention to Black artists like Lesley Riddle who helped the Carter Family and other legendary acts develop country's bedrock sound.
Reality check: Country radio and award shows have skewed mostly white for decades, but Black artists helped shape the genre from the beginning.
- One of the most quintessentially country instruments, the banjo, is rooted in West African traditions. Enslaved Africans and their descendants created the instrument.
Flashback: Riddle befriended the Carters and played a vital role in their development, collaborating on their repertoire and teaching them songs.
- "Mother Maybelle" Carter credited Riddle with teaching her the guitar picking technique that became known as the "Carter Scratch."
- Icons like Chet Atkins emulated the same style.
Yes, but: "Riddle never recorded with or appeared on stage with the Carters, largely owing to the Jim Crow customs of the day," per the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The big picture: Shaboozey rose to prominence thanks to a recent effort to reaffirm Black artists' place in country music.
- He was featured twice on Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" album, which drew new attention to inclusivity in the genre. Soon after "Cowboy Carter" came out, Shaboozey hit No. 1 with his record-breaking solo hit "A Bar Song (Tipsy)."
- Beyoncé collaborated with multiple Black country artists who have struggled to find a commercial foothold and shone a light on trailblazers like Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry.
The bottom line: The Carters' impact is certainly significant. Mother Maybelle's daughter June Carter Cash is getting inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year.
- But the rich legacy of country music is far more diverse than some award shows suggest.