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Home • Celebrity

Country Singer Mickey Guyton Is The First Black Woman To Perform At ACM Awards

"Let me tell you, it has been a long time coming," she said.
Country Singer Mickey Guyton Is The First Black Woman To Perform At ACM Awards
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – SEPTEMBER 16: (L-R) Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton perform onstage during the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry on September 16, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The ACM Awards airs on September 16, 2020 with some live and some prerecorded segments. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ACM)
By Essence · Updated November 4, 2020

Country singer-songwriter Mickey Guyton made history (again!) as the first Black woman to perform at the Academy of Country Music Awards, which is in its 55th year.

On Wednesday night inside the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Guyton performed a stirring rendition of “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” with Keith Urban backing her on piano. And she did it all while expecting a baby. Talk about a superwoman!

After her performance, Guyton took to social media to not only thank her team for preparing her for such a historic evening, but she also thanked the country music community for “embracing me and giving me this opportunity. I love you guys so much.”

If you aren't watching the #ACMawards right now, you're missing out! @MickeyGuyton just gave us a tear-jerking performance at the @opry. Turn on @CBS right now! pic.twitter.com/HGUYP7Q5zk

— ACM Awards (@ACMawards) September 17, 2020

Guyton credits another history-making Black country singer, Rissi Palmer, for giving her the courage to sing the music she loves. (When she debuted with “Country Girl” in 2007, Palmer became the first Black to chart with a country song since 1987.)

“I just want to take a minute and thank @RissiPalmer I would have never had the courage to pursue country music if I had never seen you representing in country music before me,” Guyton wrote on Twitter. “This is all because of you sis. Your courage gave me courage. Love you.”

What a night! I love you all so much. 💜💜💜 #ACMawards pic.twitter.com/PbpKNREbUH

— Mickey Guyton (@MickeyGuyton) September 17, 2020

So many from the country music community, including Shania Twain, praised Guyton’s performance on social media.

Still, this isn’t the first time Guyton made history at the ACM Awards. Back in 2016, she became the first Black woman nominated for the New Female Vocalist of the Year.

Congrats!

TOPICS:  Mickey Guyton