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Mickey GuytonPhoto: Phylicia J.L. Munn
The past year has seen significant coverage about the scarcity of Black artists in country music. While this highlights crucial social and political problems, the musicâs artistic significance often gets overlooked. And thatâs a disservice to someone as gifted as Mickey Guyton, who dominated the 21st Annual Country Music Critics Poll with victories for Artist of the Year, Single of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. Ashley McBryde, Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell also received top honors in the poll, but Guyton led the way.
 The poll-topping single was âBlack Like Me,â an autobiographical song about a small-town kid with a hardworking father who found that everything was âtwice as hardâ if youâre âBlack like me.â The songâs message wonât be news to anyone whoâs in touch with reality. But if moral clarity is necessary for great art, itâs not sufficient. T