AKON - AKON'S SECRET COUNTRY RECORD

Sorry Billyengland but I think what you're doing right now to me sounds like giving lessons and this is not very humble too. May be Akon need to know about these great artists or maybe he already knows it,you cant break into some genre of music without havin a little knowledge about it . i saw the video when he revealed he was tryin to break into this genre, they explicitly gave the name of ray charles as an afro american great singer that played country music too. So whats the matter with you folks ? Just let the singer be..talking about humility you might know nothing about what he's doin for his country and all over the world as a human being helping other people so please..!!

Akon states that, "No black artist has ever broken into the genre." Albeit, I give him credit for TRYING to break into country music, he's wrong to state that "No black artist has ever broken into the genre.". Akon needs to look into his music history. There are several well known Afican-American country crooners. To name the top two, there is Charlie Pride and Ray Charles. In 1969, Charlie Pride's first hit #1 on the singles chart was with "All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)" and 1984, when he commanded the top spot again with "Every Heart Should Have One," Charlie Pride scored more than 36 number one country singles. Charlie Pride is the second biggest selling artist on the RCA label after Elvis Presley. He has sold over 70 million albums! I also suggest that Akon listen to Ray Charles. Ray's biggest album was called "The Complete Country & Western Recordings 1959-1986" which contained several Top 10 and #1 hits and is one of the biggest sellign albums of all time! Frankie Staton, a black woman with 17 years experience as both a performer and writer of country music and co-founder of the Black Country Music Association (BCMA) Akon also failed to mention the 'fathers' of 'black country music'. He totally ignored them and their contrubtions. One of those early voices belonged to Rufe "Tee-Tot" Payne, who frequented the dives around Greenville, Alabama throughout the 1920s as a street musician. His greatest gift to country came in the form of mentorship: In the 1930s he began teaching a boy named King Hiram Williams, who went on to wear the crown of country music as Hank Williams. A contemporary of Payne was Tennessee's, DeFord Bailey, who can rightfully be called country music's first black star. As a mtter of fact, I STRONGLY suggest that Akon joins the BCMA, which is the BLACK COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION. Frankie Staton, a black woman with 17 years experience as both a performer and writer of country music and co-founder of the Black Country Music Association (BCMA), started the BCMA in 1996. Before making ignorant statements about a genre he hopes to 'break into', Akon needs a Black history lesson. He also may need a lesson in humility as his head is growing a little too big.