Beyoncé shines light on country’s future – and past

+ difference between hope and optimism; what is metabolism? US Edition - Today's top story: The most important voice on Beyoncé's new album [View in browser]( US Edition | 7 April 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Happy Sunday − and welcome to the best of The Conversation U.S. Here are a few of our recently published stories: - [Biden steps up pressure on Israel – using the few buttons available against an ally with strong domestic support]( - [What causes earthquakes like the 4.8M that shook the Northeastern US? An earth scientist explains]( I’ve often confounded my younger colleagues with my lack of awareness of pop culture news, but even I know about one of the biggest stories in music at the moment: Queen Bey released her first country album. This has inspired innumerable articles, as you’d imagine, dissecting, among other things, what it means, why she did it and how country’s typically conservative fan base might react. But I can always count on Nick Lehr, our intrepid arts and culture editor, to find a unique take on even the most exhaustively covered story. The result [was last week’s No. 1 reader favorite](, in which Middlebury’s William Nash explores “the most important voice” on Beyoncé’s new album, “Cowboy Carter.” The American studies and English professor notes the “impressive” roster of collaborators on the album includes Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Shaboozey. “But to me, the most important guest voice is the one least likely to be familiar to Beyoncé’s listeners: Linda Martell, the first commercially successful Black female country music artist,” Nash writes. Bryan Keogh Managing Editor Readers' picks [The most important voice on Beyoncé’s new album]( William Nash, Middlebury Confinement was the essence of Linda Martell’s brief career as a country star in the 1970s – and it’s the exact sort of fate that Beyoncé has sought to avoid. - [How Trump’s lawyers would fail my constitutional law class with their Supreme Court brief on criminal immunity]( Wayne Unger, Quinnipiac University Donald Trump claims support in crucial court cases and historical documents for his assertion that presidents are immune from criminal prosecution. A law scholar says those documents say the opposite. - [Is this the least productive congress ever? Yes, but it’s not just because they’re lazy]( Charlie Hunt, Boise State University If you hear the 118th Congress described as a bunch of slackers, you’re not getting the whole story. - [Why rural white Americans’ resentment is a threat to democracy]( Thomas F. 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The deaths of 7 aid workers in Gaza show that’s not the case anymore. Attacks on aid workers are on the rise. - [Loneliness can kill, and new research shows middle-aged Americans are particularly vulnerable]( Frank J. Infurna, Arizona State University The need to connect is fundamental. But diminishing social ties and community support are contributing to the loneliness epidemic. News Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Test your knowledge with a weekly quiz drawn from some of our favorite stories. Questions this week on Volt Typhoon, Beyoncé and Hall of Famers. - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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