18 April 2024 – As Beyoncé recently became the first Black woman to ever top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, a larger conversation about what defines country music has exploded into the zeitgeist. Produced by the CNN FlashDocs unit, CALL ME COUNTRY: BEYONCÉ & NASHVILLE’S RENAISSANCE, available to stream in the U.S on FRIDAY, APRIL 26 on Max, examines this reckoning in the genre straight from the country music capital of the world.

Beyoncé’s highly anticipated album “Cowboy Carter,” released March 29, arrived during a revolution within country music as the latest arena of the culture wars in America. Some in the industry are welcoming more diverse artists, while others stick to a much narrower view of a genre that predominately centers around straight, white men. CALL ME COUNTRY: BEYONCÉ & NASHVILLE’S RENAISSANCE examines the impact of how high-profile artists like Lil Nas X and Beyoncé are challenging the country music status quo and how Black artists in Nashville have been laying the foundation for this transformation for some time.

CALL ME COUNTRY: BEYONCÉ & NASHVILLE’S RENAISSANCE features interviews with country musicians including Rhiannon Giddens, banjo player on Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” John and T.J. Osborne of Brothers Osborne, Rissi Palmer, Aaron Vance, and Denitia. It also includes analysis from culture and country music experts including Touré, Larisha Paul, Chris Molanphy, Kyle Coroneos, Keith Hill, and Co-Directors of the Black Opry Holly G. and Tanner D.

For CNN FlashDocs, Eric Johnson serves as an Executive Producer, Emily Taguchi serves as Supervising Producer, and Ashley Santoro serves as Senior Producer. The unit is led by Katie Hinman, Vice President of Program Development for CNN Worldwide.