In a recent interview with Variety published on September 17, legendary country artist Dolly Parton discussed Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album and its notable absence from the CMA Awards nominations. Parton expressed that she did not think Beyoncé was snubbed this time.
Parton remarked:
“Well, you never know. There are so many wonderful country artists that I guess the country music field probably thought, ‘Well, we can’t really leave out the ones who have spent their whole lives doing that.’”
After Parton’s comments gained traction online, a purported fake screenshot surfaced, indicating that Tina Knowles had defended Beyoncé’s country music roots in reaction to Parton’s statement.
Tina Knowles responds to viral comment on Instagram, calling it “fake”
A screenshot claiming to show a comment from Tina Knowles on Instagram circulated widely on September 19, in which Knowles purportedly stated that Beyoncé has “country roots” and emphasized her hard work, arguing that Beyoncé should have received an award nomination.
The alleged comment from Knowles said:
“Oh Ms. Dolly, we love you, but Bey has spent her WHOLE life working hard since she was 9! She has country roots too. She’s mastered her craft and broken records in EVERY genre. So saying she didn’t ‘spend her life’ in country music dismisses all the work she has put in. Bey doesn’t need to stay in one lane to gain respect—her talent and work ethic speak for themselves.”
As the screenshot spread, with gossip outlet The Neighborhood Talk also featuring the claim, Tina Knowles took to the comments on that post to clarify that the statement was “fake.” Knowles stated:
“This is fake, not from me!”
Interestingly, Tina Knowles previously shared insights into her family’s cowboy heritage earlier this year. Accompanying an image of Beyoncé in cowboy attire, Knowles reflected:
“I actually laugh because it’s been there since she was a kid. We went to rodeos every year, and my whole family dressed in western fashion. Solange did a whole brilliant album and project based on Black Cowboy Culture. It definitely was a part of our culture growing up.”
Beyoncé released her Cowboy Carter album in March, following a challenging experience at the CMA Awards in 2016. During that event, she performed her country song “Daddy Lessons” alongside the Dixie Chicks, now known as The Chicks. While her performance received widespread acclaim, it was also met with boos from parts of the audience. Reflecting on the creation of her album, Beyoncé shared on Instagram:
“The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were placed on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself and taking my time to blend genres together to create this body of work.”
Additionally, it’s noteworthy that Dolly Parton collaborated on multiple tracks from the Cowboy Carter album and that Beyoncé reimagined Parton’s iconic hit “Jolene.”
Read more about Dolly Parton and Beyoncé’s collaboration here
Leave a Reply