Beyonce’s new album contains shoutout to Gadsden, her father’s hometown

Beyoncé’s country-influenced album “Cowboy Carter” was streamed 76.1 million times on Spotify on Friday, its release date — and if those listeners started with the opening track, “American Requiem,” they heard about Gadsden, Alabama.

And it’s not just a place the superstar singer, songwriter and actress, who has won more Grammy Awards (32) than any other artist, picked off a map. Her father was born here, she still has relatives living here and she sang here twice in her days with the group Destiny’s Child.

The lyrics describe her as “the grandbaby of a moonshine man, (from) Gadsden, Alabama,” and explore her other Southern roots in Louisiana and Texas.

Her reference to Gadsden was the talk of social media locally, with multiple Facebook posts from city political and business leaders and residents acknowledging it.

”It’s nice to see Gadsden featured in popular culture again,” Mayor Craig Ford said in a statement Saturday. “The Knowles family has a deeply-rooted history in Gadsden, and we appreciate their many contributions.”

Beyoncé’s father, Mathew Knowles, was born in Gadsden in 1952. He was among the first Black students to attend Litchfield Junior High School and Gadsden High School, where he was a member of the Class of 1970.

He moved to Tennessee after graduation and eventually earned degrees in business administration and economics from Fisk University in Nashville. He relocated to Houston, where he worked in medical equipment sales for Xerox (Beyoncé was born there).

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Knowles shifted into the music business in 1992, founding Music World Entertainment, and became manager of Destiny’s Child three years later. Before disbanding in 2006, the group sold 60 million records and claimed three Grammy Awards.

Former Gadsden City Council member Robert Avery — his mother and Beyoncé’s grandfather were siblings, making him a cousin to the singer — said they stopped here between appearances in Birmingham and Atlanta to sing at the council inauguration ceremony.

And on Nov 3, 1999, again while in between concerts in larger cities, they performed at Gadsden’s Convention Hall in a show arranged by Knowles and Avery. It was sponsored by MIX 102.9 FM and Avery’s GJA Productions.

In 2001, Destiny’s Child purchased uniforms for Litchfield’s football team. (It had become a high school since Knowles attended.)

Avery said Beyoncé’s relatives here also include Striplin Elementary School Principal Anthony Ash.

The singer’s accomplishments are no secret; she’s also won multiple BET Awards, Billboard Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. “Cowboy Carter” has drawn generally positive reviews, with Rolling Stone calling it “a love letter to her Southern roots” containing some of her “best vocal work on record” with “flawless” production.

Guests on the album include Miley Cyrus, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton (Beyoncé covers Parton’s “Jolene”) and Linda Martell, who in the late 1960s and early 1970s was the first Black female country singer to achieve commercial success and appear on the Grand Ole Opry.

Ford hopes Beyoncé’s callout of, and connection to, Gadsden will serve as a model for young people here.

”Our community is extremely creative when it comes to the arts, music, drama and more,” he said. “I hope this mention inspires more of our young people to pursue their creative passions. You never know where they might take you.”

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Beyonce gives shoutout to Gadsden on 'Cowboy Carter' album