\n<\/p>\n
Shaboozey<\/strong><\/a> is speaking out after that viral moment<\/a> during the 2025 American Music Awards<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n On Monday (May 26), the 30-year-old \u201cTipsy (A Bar Song)\u201d singer and Megan Moroney<\/strong><\/a> presented the Favorite Country Duo or Group award winner at the ceremony.<\/p>\n \u201cCountry music has been an important part of AMA history,\u201d he said. \u201cThe very first year of this show, the award for Favorite Male Country Artist went to the great Charley Pride<\/strong>.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cThat same year, Favorite Female Artist went to Lynn Anderson<\/strong>. And this award went to the Carter<\/strong> family, who basically invented country music,\u201d Megan<\/strong> read off the teleprompter, which prompted Shaboozey<\/strong> to side-eye the comment.<\/p>\n Keep reading to find out more\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n He let out a brief laugh before introducing the \u201cvery impressive\u201d nominees for the Favorite Country Duo or Group category.<\/p>\n The next day, Shaboozey<\/strong> seemingly addressed the viral moment. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen you uncover the true history of country music, you find a story so powerful that it cannot be erased\u2026\u201d he wrote on social media, seemingly in reference to Black influence on country music.<\/p>\n The Carter family are considered the first family in country music, per the Country Music Hall of Fame<\/a> and \u201cessentially invented the kind of harmony singing used for years in the music, and popularized numerous songs that became country standards.\u201d<\/p>\n When you uncover the true history of country music, you find a story so powerful that it cannot be erased\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Shaboozey (@ShaboozeysJeans) May 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n The Carter Family was also influenced by Lesley Riddle<\/strong>, a Black guitar player who assisted the family in gathering \u201csong material\u201d almost 100 years ago, via Time<\/a>, noting that the genre \u201cis indebted to African and African-American traditions, but commercial decisions by white industry executives led to their exclusion from the genre for decades.\u201d<\/p>\n Country musician Hank Williams<\/strong> was mentored by Black guitar player Rufus \u201cTee Tot\u201d Payne<\/strong>, while Gus Cannon<\/strong> served as a mentor for Johnny Cash<\/strong>, People<\/a> <\/em>also notes.<\/p>\n DeFord Bailey<\/strong>, a Black harmonica player, was the first artist to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. Beyonce<\/strong><\/a> dedicated her Cowboy Carter <\/em>win to Linda Martell<\/strong>, the first Black female country singer who worked with her on the album.<\/p>\n\n