Culture
Rissi Palmer details ‘Still Here,’ PBS American Masters documentary & song with Miko Marks, both premiering Friday
By: Ian Saint
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FORT WORTH, Texas (WOUB) – American Masters unveils season two of documentary short series In the Making in a premiere hosted by Broadway legend Audra McDonald on Friday at 9 p.m. The broadcast marks the debut of two films: J’Nai Bridges Unamplified directed by Christina Turner and Rissi Palmer: Still Here directed by Dilsey Davis.
WOUB’s Ian Saint had the opportunity to catch up with Rissi Palmer, the country artist subject of Rissi Palmer: Still Here after she recorded an episode of her Color Me Country Apple Music radio program at the African American Roots Music Festival in Fort Worth, TX. Stream the conversation on-demand in the YouTube widget above.
Palmer also debuts a new single on Friday, entitled “Still Here.” The song is Palmer’s first collaboration with Miko Marks.
Palmer first connected with Marks 15 years ago when Marks and her husband sent flowers to Palmer’s dressing room on the occasion of Palmer’s Grand Ole Opry debut. Palmer was touched by the gesture, especially given that she felt that – as Black female country artists – the industry wanted to pit her and Marks against each other. The flowers led to an enduring friendship and last summer Palmer surprised Marks onstage with the news of her own Grand Ole Opry debut.
Marks was recently interviewed by WOUB about her resurgence in 2022, as well as how the Equal Access program opened doors for her early on in her career. Marks and Palmer embark on their first tour together in May. Before that, Marks plays Ohio on Friday, April 14 – opening for Little Feat at the Lorain Palace Theatre (617 Broadway).
Pre-save “Still Here” now on major streaming platforms before its release Friday. “Rissi Palmer: Still Here” airs during the “American Masters: In the Making” season two premiere Friday at 9 p.m. EST. Watch it on PBS, pbs.org/americanmasters, the PBS app, or, if you’re in WOUB’s viewing area, on the WOUB app.