Shaboozey Had a Problem with Megan Moroney’s AMA Comment
Moroney caught Shaboozey off guard with an odd remark about the origins of country music.
At last night’s AMAs, 
Shaboozey and 
Megan Moroney took the stage together to present the award for Favorite Country Duo or Group. While the moment started off smoothly, things took a slightly awkward turn.
Moroney, offering a bit of context, said: “That same year, Favorite Female Artist went to Lynn Anderson, and this award went to the Carter Family, who basically invented country music.”
Shaboozey paused, glanced at her with a puzzled look, let out a short laugh, and continued reading the teleprompter. But his reaction didn’t go unnoticed—viewers quickly picked up on the tension.
The Carter Family, often credited by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as foundational to the genre, were indeed pioneers. They emerged in the late 1920s and became the first commercially successful country group, helping shape what country music became. Still, the idea that they “invented” the genre is a stretch—and Shaboozey seemed to know it.
It’s hard to say exactly what triggered his reaction, but there’s a broader conversation underneath. Country music’s origins are complex, and Black artists were part of its formation long before the Carter Family’s first recordings. Yet, history hasn’t always been kind in recognizing their contributions.
That reality isn’t lost on Shaboozey, who is often asked in interviews what it’s like navigating the country music industry as a Black artist. While his recent success is impressive, he’s not the first to make it in this space—just one of the few in recent memory.
Charley Pride remains one of the most notable trailblazers. Born in 1934, he originally pursued a career in professional baseball, playing in the Negro American League before pivoting to music. That shift led to a historic career: 29 No. 1 hits, CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1971, and a 2000 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame as its first Black honoree. Only two others—DeFord Bailey and Ray Charles—have received the same recognition.
Whether Shaboozey was reacting to the oversimplification of country’s history, the erasure of Black musicians, or something else entirely, the moment served as a quiet reminder: country music didn’t come from just one family, one group, or one narrative. It’s always been bigger than that.