<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Examining country music’s evolution through the lens of a new generation of Black artists, the film will feature interviews and performances from </em><a title="Jimmie Allen" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/category/jimmie-allen/">Jimmie Allen</a>, Blanco Brown, Breakthrough Artist for <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music <a title="BRELAND" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSBreland/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fbreland-tickets%2F">BRELAND</a>, Shy Carter, Mickey Guyton, Willie Jones, Valerie June, Amythyst Kiah, Reyna Roberts, Allison Russell, Brittney Spencer, and Frankie Staton. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://countrymusicnewsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/Amazon-Music-Announces-For-Love-Country-Documentary-Film-to-Release-April-7-691x1024.jpg" alt="Amazon Music Announces For Love &; Country Documentary Film to Release April 7" class="wp-image-38846"/></figure>



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<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Directed by acclaimed photographer and director Joshua Kissi, the </em>For Love &; Country<em> trailer is out today, with the film set to launch April 7 on <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music and Prime Video globally</em>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Amythyst Kiah’s acoustic recording of “Black Myself” from</em> For Love &; Country<em> out today as an <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Original .</em></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music announced <em>For Love &; Country</em>, a new <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music Original feature-length documentary that proclaims country music has always been Black music. The genre not only owes part of its origin story to Black musicians, but through its history, prominent Black voices have pushed the genre forward with little recognition or fanfare. Directed by <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#m_5858747070042472190_">director and photographer Joshua Kissi</a>, <em>For Love &; Country</em> <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#m_5858747070042472190_">examines country music through the personal stories of a new generation of Black artists claiming space in Nashville—and helping to transform the genre in the process</a>. The <em>For Love &; Country</em> trailer is out today, and the film will release April 7 in the <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music app and on Prime Video.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Watch the </em>For Love &; Country<em> trailer </em><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mh10jtd-4BevZXZyduHNFmplj2IvASHsSob8T-mMcYrW-ouozo8mQ4PtcvycToXpeb07ABmMPigChqS5VVgkNkH9OhLnQPs7o5jsVEBiORgYtTDwI1dEQHyLbBH0G3d-LSjM63lmYPwPOZSLRDCTwQ==&;c=oic15vvK3NNM7oh7hMW7ViYAy4Qcm-Yw12DH4o7WUWStMrfIeKkw4g==&;ch=HD6IzpROd9_3G_dzqvVnh4v8wI582j9nGRMTFEO1cHpTmFgo7YwV-A==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HERE</a></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Still images and artist photography are available </em><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mh10jtd-4BevZXZyduHNFmplj2IvASHsSob8T-mMcYrW-ouozo8mQ4PtcvycToXpgSqci89UcrX4VVjt69vFL8yteLruYbtv05m852VgXQmY9PZDvyoV887YqXppY6PeV-rVpJhGnuoE9_nYuQ2PLOelVDLeTzi--AoNZWlQHPvnh4iwkJyE92JwXP2yUiDlPEesHx0EzUk=&;c=oic15vvK3NNM7oh7hMW7ViYAy4Qcm-Yw12DH4o7WUWStMrfIeKkw4g==&;ch=HD6IzpROd9_3G_dzqvVnh4v8wI582j9nGRMTFEO1cHpTmFgo7YwV-A==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HERE</a></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Listen to Amythyst Kiah’s <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Original acoustic version of “Black Myself” </em><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mh10jtd-4BevZXZyduHNFmplj2IvASHsSob8T-mMcYrW-ouozo8mQ4PtcvycToXpiH8pmSivj3S8dXvyUAftbOTC8ISBf5prKkYNpCGpDdAhXR9s8Ol3MOkGGAx2fpfp5f0qlLG9c88lr-_p2g0q3Q==&;c=oic15vvK3NNM7oh7hMW7ViYAy4Qcm-Yw12DH4o7WUWStMrfIeKkw4g==&;ch=HD6IzpROd9_3G_dzqvVnh4v8wI582j9nGRMTFEO1cHpTmFgo7YwV-A==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HERE</a></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;What I’ve come to realize is country music as a genre is just as complex as this country itself,” said Joshua Kissi. “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.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I’ve always believed in the old saying, ‘if you can see it, you can be it,’” said Mickey Guyton. “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.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#m_5858747070042472190_">For Love &; Country</a> 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, <em>For Love &; Country </em>features interviews and performances from current Best New Artist Grammy-nominee <a title="Jimmie Allen" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/category/jimmie-allen/">Jimmie Allen</a>, Grammy-nominated Blanco Brown, Breakthrough Artist for <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music <a title="BRELAND" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSBreland/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fbreland-tickets%2F">BRELAND</a>, award-winning songwriter and 2021 <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music Artist to Watch Shy Carter, Grammy-nominee Mickey Guyton, Grammy-nominee Valerie June, Grammy-nominee Amythyst Kiah, 2022 Artists to Watch for <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> 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,<strong> </strong>Davidson County criminal court clerk and former vice mayor Howard Gentry, academic and author Amanda Marie Martínez, and rapper Mike Floss.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;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.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“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,” said Raymond Roker, global head of editorial for <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music. “These are also very universal stories of acceptance, being welcomed 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.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In tandem with the trailer, <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music has released “Black Myself,” an <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Original acoustic version of breakout star Amythyst Kiah’s incredible song, recorded during the filming process only for <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music listeners. Listen to “Black Myself” <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mh10jtd-4BevZXZyduHNFmplj2IvASHsSob8T-mMcYrW-ouozo8mQ4PtcvycToXpiH8pmSivj3S8dXvyUAftbOTC8ISBf5prKkYNpCGpDdAhXR9s8Ol3MOkGGAx2fpfp5f0qlLG9c88lr-_p2g0q3Q==&;c=oic15vvK3NNM7oh7hMW7ViYAy4Qcm-Yw12DH4o7WUWStMrfIeKkw4g==&;ch=HD6IzpROd9_3G_dzqvVnh4v8wI582j9nGRMTFEO1cHpTmFgo7YwV-A==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. ;Additional <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Original songs by artists featured in the film will roll out over the coming weeks, prior to<em> For Love &; Country</em> releasing on April 7 in the <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music app and on Prime Video. <em>For Love &; Country</em> was directed by Joshua Kissi and produced by DPM Projects and Pizza Night.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>About <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music reimagines music listening by enabling customers to unlock millions of songs and thousands of curated playlists and stations with their voice. <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music provides unlimited access to new releases and classic hits across iOS and Android mobile devices, PC, Mac, Echo, and Alexa-enabled devices including Fire TV and more. With <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music, Prime members have access to ad-free listening of 2 million songs at no additional cost to their membership. Listeners can also enjoy the premium subscription service, <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music Unlimited, which provides access to more than 90 million songs and the latest new releases. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music Unlimited customers also now have access to the highest-quality listening experience available, with more than 90 million songs available in High Definition (HD), more than 7 million songs in Ultra HD, and a growing catalog of spatial audio. Customers also have free access to an ad-supported selection of top playlists and stations on <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music. All <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music tiers now offer a wide selection of podcasts at no additional cost, and live streaming in partnership with Twitch. Engaging with music and culture has never been more natural, simple, and fun. For more information, visit <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mh10jtd-4BevZXZyduHNFmplj2IvASHsSob8T-mMcYrW-ouozo8mQ6SK65gqtE0NJ-xJMw8idc7qTy6O5vTsI9pZUTYt49rknnKQnAlx1aHudAdiSwu-vsRx97vn7-ACvLRPbNi4WDWWtweUxEzRfjrkGJWg-hnGCGQtap0hcCS5J-sox2LmSVhvR17NGYIfNm-1VWrIjNV43Np78rTv3QvVzt0eoXliTt4QiVyw7rDAaZitbO10jlFzeBuNUmaFdKnDFhg3iE9LZE4hAWTCaSbpjTwpbcjXt2cHUKbgJrbTvfYtaFVGZ1gZ0Yi5pdZV_6uOcyFK5EWE-TZOEPU3hskb4xoy2EjUFk0loSi61jG8QOWU7OAkpcjqkX7tQ54DloD5Ev_5SOdcl_T8vKPdUkOdrjsZcEYe-EIfDpTKzMbAglWkutNGUg==&;c=oic15vvK3NNM7oh7hMW7ViYAy4Qcm-Yw12DH4o7WUWStMrfIeKkw4g==&;ch=HD6IzpROd9_3G_dzqvVnh4v8wI582j9nGRMTFEO1cHpTmFgo7YwV-A==" target="_blank">amazonmusic.com</a> or download the <a title="Amazon" href="https://amzn.to/3wEOfbC">Amazon</a> Music app.</p>