It's probably fair to say that a great many viewers of the 3/14 Grammy telecast had never heard of Mickey Guyton before. It's also reasonable to surmise that they hadn't heard a country song quite like the one performed by the Capitol Nashville breakout, who was nominated for Best Country Solo Performance.
Yes, "Black Like Me" has a soaring chorus, sturdily crafted lyrics, aching pedal-steel accents and intimate details of small-town America. But its message, as expressed in that chorus—"If you think we live in the land of the free/ You should try to be black like me"—is, we think you'll agree, unique for the genre. And Guyton's rendition on the Grammy stage? Well, if you didn't catch it the first time, see for yourself. "Black Like Me" has moved into the Top 20 at iTunes as of this writing. Guyton, a Warner Chappell songwriter, will co-host the ACM Awards with Keith Urban on 4/18. She's also a 2021 ACM nominee for New Female Vocalist.
