Latine country musicians navigate the music industry on their own terms

The Nashville-based country music industry has been slow to truly embrace the impact of the wide array of Latine artists actively making country music both here and around the world.To speed things along, a new generation of locals are working together to form supportive communities and organizations. On today’s episode we hear from musicians and advocates who organize support for one another both publicly and behind the scenes. Plus, we explore how Freddy Fender, an early pioneer of Latine country, influenced the industry and helped build a foundation for the next generation.This episode was produced by Jewly Hight and Mary Mancini.Guests Louie TheSinger, Country music artist Jackie Marushka, Founder of the Hispanic Entertainment Alliance and Marushka Media Andrea Vasquez, Country artist, Co-founder of Country Latin Association, and host of the Latina in Nashville podcast Veronique Medrano, singer-songwriter and archivist/preservationist Further Reading and Listening Angie K blends her El Salvadoran roots and Nashville savvy in her new EP and the Country Latin Association (WPLN) Tracing the history of Latino artists making country music (WPLN) The case for Freddy Fender’s induction as first Hispanic member of Country Music Hall of Fame (Texas Standard)