A house RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR ONE OF THE PALMETTO STATE'S FINEST NATIVE DAUGHTERS, COUNTRY MUSIC TRAILBLAZER LINDA MARTELL, AND TO CONGRATULATE HER ON HER RECENT EIGHTY-THIRD BIRTHDAY.

Whereas, a pioneering force hailed as the unsung hero of her genre, Linda Martell was the first commercially successful Black female artist in country music. In 1969, Martell had the highest peaking single by a Black female country artist on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in the history of the genre. This record, set by Martell's "Color Him Father," #22 on the 1969 chart, held until Beyonc 's "Texas Hold 'Em" debuted at #1 in February 2024. Notably, Martell was also the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry stage; and

Whereas, from humble beginnings in her home state of South Carolina, Martell began performing with her family before being discovered as a solo act at Charleston Air Force Base. She moved to Nashville in 1969 and released her Top 25 charting debut single the same year, which preceded her first and only album, Color Me Country. The album climbed to the Top 40 on the Billboard Top Country Album chart, featured three charting singles, and received this praise from Billboard for authenticity: "Linda impresses as a female Charley Pride. She has a terrific style and a true feeling for a country lyric." The album earned bookings for Martell on Hee Haw and package shows with Waylon Jennings and Hank Snow, as well as the first of twelve appearances on the Grand Ole Opry; and

Whereas, in the 1970s, Martell blazed trails many never thought achievable, trails that continue to impact and shape the country genre today. In 2021, CMT recognized Martell with the Equal Play Award for her ground-breaking strides. Her efforts, however, have gone mostly unrecognized by the mainstream country music industry to this day. Strong courage in her field is Linda Martell's legacy; and

Whereas, other Black country artists continue to carry her torch, including Rissi Palmer, who became the host of the Apple Music show she named "Color Me Country" after Martell's renowned album. Rissi has used her platform to elevate Black female voices striving for equality in the genre. Recent acknowledgment of the impact of Martell's legacy has come from modern artists like Maren Morris, who in 2020 recognized Martell in an Academy of Country Music award acceptance speech for Female Vocalist of the Year. In addition, Beyonc  recently featured Martell on a spoken-word track titled "The Linda Martell Show" on her eighth studio album. This album, Cowboy Carter, further legitimized Linda Martell as the pioneer she is, and it will ensure that her music, story, and legacy are remembered always; and

Whereas, appreciatively, the House takes great pleasure in celebrating the achievements of the legendary Linda Martell, one of South Carolina's own. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor one of the Palmetto State's finest native daughters, country music trailblazer Linda Martell, and congratulate her on her recent eighty-third birthday.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Linda Martell.

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