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Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper

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Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Terry Blade. The album was released on February 3, 2023.

Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper
Studio album by
Terry Blade
ReleasedFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
Recorded2022
Genre
Length30:16
LabelBlade Modus Records
Producer
  • Terry Blade
  • Adrian Berenguer
  • Sleeping Ghost
  • Bobby Cole
  • Humans Win
  • Nicholas Rowe
  • Raighes Factory
Terry Blade chronology
Neo Queer
(2022) 		Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper
(2023)
Singles from Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper
  1. "Won't Be Around"
    Released: January 6, 2023

Background

[edit]

In an interview with American Songwriter, Blade stated that the title of his third studio album Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper is a reference to his being a descendant of African-American sharecroppers from Colerain, North Carolina.[1] Blade explained:[2]

I drew from my grandfather’s experience, my grandparents are from the south, and my grandfather in particular is from North Carolina. His dad was a sharecropper, and he was, when he was very, very young, he was taken out of school to work. A lot of Americana and roots music and blues comes out of the south and that experience.

In an interview with Country Queer, Blade explained that one of the purposes of the album was to communicate his ethos to listeners through an exploration of his personal experiences.[3] He stated that "the album wrestles with self-identity, culture, community, relationships, adversity and perseverance."[3]

When asked about the album's Americana aesthetic, Blade answered:[3]

Because the album’s themes are inextricably linked to my roots as a person, Americana or American roots music felt like the more appropriate aesthetic for this project. I also wanted to show that black American music doesn’t just encompass R&B, it also includes what we think of as traditional Americana music. As a genre-fluid singer-songwriter who is both black American and queer, I am well positioned to demonstrate that.

Blade derived most of the album's material from his past personal journal entries.[4] He stated that he set out to "reject any notion that black Americans are mere unwelcomed guests in the American roots music space."[5] In describing the album's subject matter and sound, he stated "this is a black experience...And again, it’s this idea that black music can only be this one thing, and it’s just, it’s just wrong. It’s folk, its country, its bluegrass, blues – so, it’s all of that. And historically it has always been that."[2]

Release

[edit]

Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper was released on February 3, 2023.[6] The album's cover features a photo taken in 1937 of an African-American sharecropper near Clarksdale, Mississippi.[7] The photo was taken by documentary photographer and photojournalist, Dorothea Lange.[7]

The album also features an excerpt of an audio recording from the Blue Ridge Parkway Folklife Project of the American Folklife Center.[8][9] The audio recording is introduced during the album's "Fiddle & Banjo (interlude)" over music composed by Roberto Diana, and features a 1978 interview of an African-American resident of Sparta, North Carolina who recalls how common it was for him and others in his community to listen and watch others play the fiddle and banjo.[8][9] When the interviewer asks the resident if he was referring to "white folks," the interviewee quickly answers "colored folks...black folks."[8][9]

The album's tracks received national radio airplay on numerous NPR member stations, including WNRN-FM, KVNF, KWIT, WMKY, and South Dakota Public Broadcasting, and on other radio stations such as KRVM-FM, WERU-FM, WMVY, and WTJU.[10] Two of the album's tracks also aired and were playlisted on Apple Music 1's Proud Radio with Hunter Kelly.[11][12] On April 1, 2023, Kelly announced that Blade's "Rainbow Child"–the fourth track of the album–would be featured as Proud Radio's "Proud Pick" of April 2023.[13] In describing the song, Blade stated:[2]

'Rainbow Child' is about growing up gay or queer or non-gender conforming... It’s like, 'What would I say to me if I was 12 years old?' The whole 'it gets better' thing didn’t make sense to me at the time, because I was like, how? You just can’t see. You don’t know that things can change or that people can change, or that things can evolve. You just don’t see it – particularly when it’s, you know, so normal and so normalized to be homophobic and heteronormative at the time. You just don’t really see a world where it isn’t that way. It was kind of a way of reconciling with that. It’s literally me talking to me, but universally it’s me talking to every queer, bisexual, trans, pan person who is not considered the norm.

On May 1, 2023, The Boot included Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper on its list of "Most Wanted Music: 2023’s Country, Americana, Bluegrass and Folk Album Releases."[14] The album was later nominated for Album of the Year: Best Folk/Americana Album at the 2023 Josie Music Awards.[15]

In August 2024, the music video for the album's seventh track "Wasn't Mine" premiered as an official selection of the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Alabama.[16] Blade directed and produced the music video using "historical archival footage" that included recorded images of Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King Jr.[16][17] Blade explained that "the song is about the burden of blackness in America, the weight of that."[2]

Singles

[edit]
Main article: Won't Be Around

Released on January 6, 2023, "Won't Be Around" was Blade's lead single for Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper.[18][19] The single received national radio airplay and appeared on New Music Weekly's Country Up & Coming Chart.[20] It won first place in the blues category of the 2023 American Songwriter Song Contest.[21] The single also received nominations at the inaugural Hollywood Independent Music Awards and the 14th Hollywood Music in Media Awards.[22][23]

Critical reception

[edit]

Richard Marcus of Country Queer wrote: "With Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper, Blade joins Jake Blount, Rhiannon Giddens, and others who have stood up to remind of and reinforce the African American connection to Americana music. Blade blends elements of soul, R&B, gospel, blues and Americana to great effect, rendering a thoughtful and deeply emotional portrait of his history, both personal and cultural."[24]

PopMatters' Rick Quinn wrote in Rainbow Rodeo: "In Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper, Terry Blade wades into the rich currents of blues and roots Americana, tracing feeder streams of gospel, country, and bluegrass along the way. The album’s own 'ethos' is, in itself, a reparative work. The early 20th-century creation of the categories of 'Country & Western' as opposed to 'Rhythm & Blues' was a marketing division built on racist assumptions and an act of erasure of the profound contribution of black musical traditions in what is considered country music."[25][26][27]

Kartik Sundar of Find No Enemy wrote: "On no two songs does Blade really sound the same either. 'Jimmy James' sees the Chicago based talent bring out a starkly different performance, slightly shaky but somehow composed and mature all at once."[28] Sundar wrote further that "Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper thrives in how vulnerable and raw the record is as a whole."[28]

Accolades

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For a full list of awards and nominations received for the single and music video "Wont Be Around", see the "Accolades" section of Won't Be Around.

Award Category Work Result Ref.
2023 American Songwriter Blues (2023 Song Contest): Category Winner Won't Be Around Won [1]
Hollywood Independent Music Awards Americana/Roots Won't Be Around Nominated [29]
Hollywood Music in Media Awards Best Music Video (Independent) Won't Be Around Nominated [30]
Josie Music Awards Album of the Year: Folk/Americana Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper Nominated [31]
2024 California Music Video Awards Lyrics and Verse Won't Be Around Nominated [32]
Sidewalk Film Festival Shorts: Music Video Wasn't Mine Nominated [33]
Vienna Independent Film Festival Best Song Won't Be Around Nominated [34]

Track listing

[edit]

All lyrics are written by Terry Blade, except where noted; all music is composed by Terry Blade, Roberto Diana, Adrian Berenguer, Antonio De Giovanni, Bobby Cole, Lance Conrad, and Nicholas Rowe.

No.TitleProducersLength
1."Come Home"Humans Win, Terry Blade02:57
2."Won't Be Around"Bobby Cole, Terry Blade02:25
3."Rigor Mortis"Adrian Berenguer, Terry Blade02:52
4."Rainbow Child" (Lyrics by Terry Blade and Ryan Jenkins)Nicholas Rowe, Terry Blade, and Ryan Jenkins05:02
5."Talk About It"Bobby Cole, Terry Blade, and Ryan Jenkins02:52
6."Fiddle & Banjo (Interlude)" (recording by Walter Brown, Charles Wolfe, and Patrick Mullen courtesy of American Folklife Center)Raighes Factory, Terry Blade01:43
7."Wasn't Mine"Terry Blade03:01
8."Grandma's Kitchen"Sleeping Ghost, Terry Blade02:22
9."Jimmy James"Humans Win, Terry Blade03:25
10."In My House"Sleeping Ghost, Terry Blade, and Ryan Jenkins01:34
Total length:30:16

Personnel

[edit]
  • Adrian Berenguer – composer, producer
  • Antonio De Giovanni – composer, producer
  • Bobby Cole – composer, producer
  • Charles Wolfe – featured speaker (interlude)
  • Dorothea Lange – photographer (cover art)
  • Humans Win – producer
  • Lance Conrad – composer, producer
  • Patrick Mullen – featured speaker (interlude)
  • Nicholas Rowe – composer, producer
  • Raighes Factory – producer
  • Roberto Diana – composer, producer
  • Ryan Jenkins – consultant, lyricist, producer
  • Sleeping Ghost – producer
  • Terry Blade – main artist, vocalist, lyricist, executive producer, composer, producer, arranger, engineer
  • Walter Brown – featured speaker (interlude)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Meet the 2023 Song Contest Category Winners - American Songwriter". 2024-07-03. Archived from the original on 2024-07-03. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  2. ^ a b c d Frazier, Preston (2024-03-10). "Terry Blade on 'Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper': Something Else! Interview". Something Else!. Archived from the original on 2024-08-14. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  3. ^ a b c Treacy, Christopher (2023-01-05). "Q&A With Terry Blade • Country Queer". Country Queer. Archived from the original on 2023-01-18. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  4. ^ "TERRY BLADE – AMERICAN DESCENDANT OF SLAVERY | RGM". 2021-03-17. Archived from the original on 2021-03-17. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
  5. ^ "Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper, by Terry Blade". Terry Blade. Archived from the original on 2024-01-12. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  6. ^ Cullen, Rebecca (2021-03-05). "Terry Blade – American Descendant Of Slavery, The Album". Stereo Stickman. Archived from the original on 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  7. ^ a b "Sharecropper eating near Clarksdale, Mississippi". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Archived from the original on 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  8. ^ a b c "Interview with Walter Brown, Sparta, North Carolina, part 2: Planting signs, mining experiences, superstitions, dances, blues, banjo and fiddle music, race relations, church singers". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Archived from the original on 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  9. ^ a b c "Fiddle & Banjo (Interlude), by Terry Blade". Terry Blade. Archived from the original on 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  10. ^ "Soundcharts". app.soundcharts.com. Archived from the original on 2024-03-25. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  11. ^ Songstats. "Won't Be Around | Apple Music Analytics". Songstats. Archived from the original on 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  12. ^ Songstats. "Rainbow Child | Apple Music Analytics". Songstats. Archived from the original on 2024-09-16. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  13. ^ Kelly, Hunter [@nashvillehk] (March 31, 2023). "Proud Radio is back Saturday at 6pm CT/4pm PT on @applemusic Country! @grahamsfleming joins me for a conversation, and @t.blademusic is this month's Proud Pick!" – via Instagram.
  14. ^ Liebig, Lorie (2023-05-01). "Most Wanted Music: 2023's Country, Americana, Bluegrass and Folk Album Releases". The Boot. Archived from the original on 2023-01-03. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  15. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20230510221624/https://www.josiemusicawards.com/2023-nominees.html
  16. ^ a b "26th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival presented by Regions Bank: Shorts: Music Videos". sidewalk26.sched.com. Archived from the original on 2024-07-22. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  17. ^ https://filmfreeway.com/projects/2997749
  18. ^ The Boot Staff (2023-02-09). "The Boot's Weekly Picks: Willie Jones, Mya Byrne + More". The Boot. Archived from the original on 2023-02-11. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  19. ^ Maloney, Carl. "RGM INTRODUCING – WE INTERVIEW AMERICAN ARTIST TERRY BLADE". RGM Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  20. ^ McCoy, Buck (May 3, 2024). "Inside Country Radio". New Music Weekly. p. 33. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  21. ^ Whalen, Shane (2024-04-10). "American Songwriter 2023 Song Contest Winners Announced". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on 2024-04-10. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  22. ^ "2023 WINNERS | Hollywood Independent Music Awards". Archived from the original on 2024-03-31. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  23. ^ Neglia, Matt (2023-11-16). "The 2023 Hollywood Music In Media Awards (HMMA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on 2023-12-03. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
  24. ^ Marcus, Richard (2023-01-24). "Album Review: Terry Blade Schools Us On His 'Ethos...' • Country Queer". Country Queer. Archived from the original on 2023-01-24. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  25. ^ "When Nashville Steals Your Voice". Rainbow Rodeo. Archived from the original on 2024-09-16. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  26. ^ Quinn, Rick. "Rick Quinn | PopMatters". www.popmatters.com. Archived from the original on 2024-09-05. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  27. ^ "Rainbow Rodeo (@rainbowrodeomag@lgbtqia.space)". LGBTQIA.Space. 2023-03-03. Archived from the original on 2024-09-16. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  28. ^ a b Sundar, Kartik (2023-02-05). "Terry Blade – Ethos : Son of a Sharecropper - Find No Enemy". Find No Enemy. Archived from the original on 2024-09-16. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  29. ^ "2023 WINNERS | Hollywood Independent Music Awards". Archived from the original on 2024-03-31. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  30. ^ "2023 HMMA Nominations". Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Archived from the original on 2023-10-26. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  31. ^ "2023 NOMINEES". The Josie Music Awards. Archived from the original on 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  32. ^ TasteTV (2024-01-11). "7th Annual California Music Video Awards Announce Nominees for Year's Best Music Videos". TasteTV. Archived from the original on 2024-01-12. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  33. ^ "26th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival presented by Regions Bank: Shorts: Music Videos". sidewalk26.sched.com. Archived from the original on 2024-07-22. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  34. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-09-06. Retrieved 2024-09-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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