She became the first commercially successful black female artist in the country music field and the first to play the Grand Ole Opry.
As one of the first African-American country performers, Martell helped influence the careers of future Nashville artists of color.
Performing as a solo act, Martell was discovered singing country music on an air force base.
[5][6] Martell made several appearances on country music television programs and released two more singles with Plantation.
Following a series of business conflicts with her manager (Duke Raymer) and producer, Martell left her recording contract.
[9] In March 2024, Martell was featured on two tracks of Beyoncé's eighth studio album Cowboy Carter, including "Spaghettii", which generated her first Grammy Awards nomination.
To avoid helping with sharecropping duties, Martell learned to make dinners for her family when she was seven years old.
Clarence Bynem regularly listened to the country music of Hank Williams on WLAC, based out of Nashville, Tennessee.
[11] Local DJ, Charles "Big Saul" Greene convinced her to change her name from Thelma Bynem to Linda Martell.
Re-named Linda Martell and the Anglos, Fire Records released "A Little Tear (Was Falling from My Eyes)" the same year.
[14] Linda Martell and the Anglos (sometimes credited as "The Angelos") released several more singles on the Vee-Jay label, such as "Lonely Hours".
[1] With the recent country music success of Charley Pride, Rayner believed Martell could be accepted within the same industry.
[16][23] With her new success, Martell was hired by booking agent, Hubert Long, who helped arrange several entertainment opportunities.
[24] She also made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast after Rayner played her recent record for an official at the company.
[14] With her Opry debut, she became the first black female artist to play the show and eventually performed there a total of 12 times.
Singleton also informed Martell that he would not be promoting her as heavily because he found that label-peer Jeannie C. Riley was selling more records.
[1] After several more years of limited success, Martell ultimately chose to retire from the Nashville music industry.
In these different places, Martell held various jobs, including entertaining on a cruise ship and opening a record shop.
[1] She also continued to perform in a band on weekends where they entertained functions such as family reunions, weddings and fraternity celebrations.
The show's hosts traveled to South Carolina to meet Martell, discuss her music and why she abandoned her recording career.
[29] In 2021, a GoFundMe campaign was launched by Martell's granddaughter to create a documentary about her career and struggles as a black performer in Nashville.
[1][14] Writers at Ebony magazine characterized her voice as having "gutsy, emotional soul", while also having a "background that is rich in gospel and rhythm and blues".
[14] Martell herself drew similar connections when discussing the way she approached recording "Color Him Father" in the studio.
In 2020, Guyton recalled searching on the internet for "black women country singers" and was surprised to find Martell's music.
"[1] Fellow black country artist Rissi Palmer commented to NPR that by creating her 2020 podcast she was "paying homage to the foundation on which my house is built, and that is Linda Martell.
A tribute during the broadcast was given by Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Rissi Palmer, Rhiannon Giddens, Jennifer Nettles and Mickey Guyton.
Jacobs also brought one child from his first marriage and the family lived in Nashville while Martell was signed to Plantation Records.
[1] She discussed her domestic life with Ebony magazine in 1970, explaining the challenges associated with being a traveling performer while also being a wife and mother.