Beyoncé’s new album, “Act Two: Cowboy Carter” dropped at midnight.
The 27-song album features collaborations with different artists, including musician Robert Randolph, leader of Robert Randolph and the Family Band.
“As you can see today with the release of so many songs, rightfully so, I mean she had all of this creative energy for all of these different country collaborations,” he said. “So it’s like rock meets country.”
Randolph is a six-time Grammy nominee and an expert on the pedal steel guitar. He has collaborated with Joe Walsh of The Eagles, Dave Matthews, Los Lobos and blues legend Buddy Guy.
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Randolph said he was at home cooking on a grill when he received a call about participating on Beyoncé’s latest album. Her hit song “Texas Hold ‘Em” came out last month and made her the first Black woman ever with a No. 1 single on the Hot Country Songs chart.
“So I got the call and I’m like, ‘What, for real? Play on Beyoncé? What am I going to do? Am I going to do “Bootylicious” or something?'” he joked.
Randolph, who collaborated on the song “16 Carriages,” said they would rehearse the song in different ways, adjusting his usual style.
“Oh yeah, I had to work on some country licks,” he said.
On the album, Beyoncé shines light on some of the pioneering, unsung Black artists throughout country music’s history. Randolph said she’s inspiring new artists.
“For the last 20, 30 years, there’s been a lot of Black country artists trying to break through out of Nashville,” he said. “Many have moved there, and just the fact that she’s sort of hinted at releasing a record and now that it’s out, she’s given all of those people newfound hope.”
