Marcus K. Dowling is a journalist, broadcaster and entrepreneur. In the past 10 years, via his conceptual vision and marketing expertise, Marcus has aided creative entrepreneurs in the arts and entertainment industries in earning over $25 million in gross revenue. As a writer, he regularly contributes to the likes of VICE, Pitchfork, Complex, The Bitter Southerner, Bandcamp, Mixmag, the Washington City Paper, ESPN's Undefeated and more.
Marcus K. Dowling
In 2021, I Traveled 50,000 Miles With Five Tunes and Found America’s Truth in Country Music
Country music always tells a story.
The Birthplace of Country Music: 5 Spots Country Fans Can’t Miss in Bristol
Country music uses a perfect synergy between people, places and things to create art that defines the folklore of an entire nation. And there is perhaps no better way to examine this notion than by visiting the Tennessee-Virginia border city of Bristol.
95 Years Ago: The Bristol Sessions Bring Country Music’s First Big Names to the Studio
Country music’s place as a permanent fixture of American life and culture is a direct result of the Bristol Sessions.
Who Is Breland? 5 Things You Need to Know
Breland isn’t about to be just another Black one-hit wonder in country music.
How Reba McEntire Flipped ‘Whoever’s in New England’ (and Her Sound) to Create a Mega-Hit
The country legend’s most heartfelt song became a breakthrough hit, attached to a stellar and groundbreaking music video released during that medium’s early heights.
A Brief History of Black Country Music, From Tee Tot to Breland
Because country music is a descendant of blues and folk music, the Black musical tradition in the genre extends to the 17th century, well before the genre’s established 1920s roots.
12 Essential Songs By Black Country Artists
The number of Black artists currently surging into country music’s mainstream is unquestionably unprecedented; however, Black artists’ current success in country music is not.
Patsy Cline’s ‘I Fall to Pieces’ Is an Enduring Classic Despite Her Reservations
Everything about the recording session that Cline disliked, in fact, adds to her performance.
Rissi Palmer Establishes Color Me Country Fund to Aid Artists of Color
The newly created fund offers another source of sustainability for Black artists, Indigenous artists and other artists of color within the country music community.
‘Kiss an Angel Good Mornin”: The Life, Times and Music That Made Charley Pride’s Greatest Hit
That songwriter Ben Peters’ tune about how much he loved his newborn daughter became Pride’s signature song is an intriguing story with many layers.