Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles-Carter, has fired back at country music legend Dolly Parton after Parton expressed support for the Country Music Association’s (CMA) decision to exclude “Cowboy Carter” from this year’s awards show.
This passionate response came after Dolly Parton appeared to support the CMA’s decision to overlook Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album, implying that she had not dedicated her career to country music like other artists had.
The “Jolene” singer defended the CMAs, blaming the abundance of already established country music artists.
“There’s so many wonderful country artists that, I guess probably the country music field, they probably thought, well, we can’t really leave out some of the ones that spend their whole life doing that,” Dolly Parton explained.
Her comments elicited mixed reactions, with some fans agreeing and others believing she dismissed Beyoncé’s contribution. Tina, however, wasn’t about to let her daughter’s hard work go unnoticed.
In the comments section, Ms. Tina addressed Dolly directly, defending her daughter’s accomplishments and criticizing Parton’s suggestion that Beyoncé had not “spent her life” in country music.
“Oh, Ms. Dolly, we love you, but Bey did spend her WHOLE life workin’ hard since she was 9! She got country roots too,” she began.
Ms Tina continued, highlighting her daughter’s extensive and versatile career, adding, “She’s mastered her craft and broken records in every genre.”
Beyoncé’s mother went on to argue that her daughter’s talent and work ethic speak for themselves and that she should not be limited to a single genre.
“So saying she didn’t ‘spend her life’ in country music dismisses all the work she put in,” Ms Tina continued. “Bey don’t need to stay in one lane to get respect.”
Beyoncé’s debut in country music with “Cowboy Carter” has sparked debate in the music industry, with some hailing her versatility and others questioning her place in the genre. Despite the album’s massive commercial success, including chart-topping hits like “Texas Hold’ Em” and critical acclaim from various music outlets, the CMA chose not to include her in this year’s nominations.
