Black Pumas (band)

Black Pumas is a popular psychedelic soul band best known for its self-titled 2019 debut album. Founded in Austin, Texas, in 2017, the band quickly earned rave reviews for its unique sound. Composed primarily of singer-songwriter Eric Burton and guitarist Adrian Quesada, Black Pumas made an immediate splash, impressing critics and earning Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Best American Roots Performance, and Album of the Year in 2020. In addition to performing on a variety of daytime and late-night talk shows and launching a successful North American and European live tour, Black Pumas notably contributed a live virtual performance during the televised Celebrating America special that followed President Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20, 2021. All of this helped establish the Black Pumas as one of the hottest up-and-coming acts in contemporary music and as a driving force in the reemerging psychedelic soul genre.

Background

Black Pumas is one of the foremost modern acts in the longtime genre of psychedelic soul. A blending of psychedelic rock and traditional soul music, psychedelic soul got its start in the late 1960s as a new generation of artists sought to combine these two seemingly dissimilar musical styles in imaginative ways. At its heart, psychedelic soul was initially a particularly celebratory form of soul that reflected the newfound cultural openness of the era in which it was first created. At the same time, the emergent genre’s unique sound also had some darker undertones inspired by the social upheaval of the late 1960s, particularly the racial turmoil surrounding the civil rights movement.

One of the earliest pioneering acts of the psychedelic soul genre—and perhaps the most influential to its development—was Sly & the Family Stone. Principally an R&B band, Sly & the Family Stone rose from the psychedelic capital of San Francisco, California, to become one of the most popular and funky-sounding bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Sly & the Family Stone’s landmark 1969 album Stand! is typically regarded as its single greatest contribution to psychedelic soul. Notably featuring the hit song “Everyday People,” the album is an adventure of vibrant choruses, skillful instrumental passages, and groundbreaking experimentation that may be the ultimate example of what psychedelic soul is all about. Jimi Hendrix —the virtuoso guitarist known for hit songs such as “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” and “Purple Haze” —was another key figure in the emergence of psychedelic soul. His highly psychedelic guitar work thrilled concertgoers of all cultural backgrounds as he forever changed the sound of rock with his influential style.

Along with Sly & the Family Stone and Hendrix, a slew of other acts in the late 1960s and 1970s took psychedelic soul to new heights. The Temptations embraced psychedelic soul through hits like “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.” Edwin Starr’s “War” and the Undisputed Truth’s “Smiling Faces Sometimes” were also major entries in the genre. Many early funk acts incorporated the psychedelic soul sound as well. Some twentieth- and twenty-first-century artists who have tapped into psychedelic soul include Janelle Monáe, Sault, D’Angelo, and the Vanguard.

Overview

One of the leading contemporary psychedelic soul acts, Black Pumas is a critically acclaimed Texas-based band with a quickly growing cult following. Primarily a duo featuring Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada, the band’s unique sound is a careful blend of light psychedelia, cinematic neo-soul, and a hint of urban grit. On the strength of its self-titled 2019 debut album, Black Pumas established itself as an innovative and exciting new act.

The formation of Black Pumas began when singer-songwriter Burton left his native California in 2017. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Burton spent much of his youth singing in church choirs and performing in stage musicals. Later, he made a meager living busking, or playing live music on the street, on the Santa Monica pier—an experience that also helped him hone his performance skills. When he ultimately decided it was time to move on, Burton traveled through multiple Western states before eventually laying down roots in Austin, Texas, where he found a new busking location on the corner of 6th and Congress.

While Burton was finding his place in Austin, Grammy Award-winning guitarist and producer Adrian Quesada was on the hunt for a new partner to collaborate with on future projects. An accomplished musician, Quesada played in numerous bands and accompanied an array of solo artists. Notably, he was part of Groupo Fantasma when the Latin funk band won a Grammy Award for its 2010 album El Existential. Quesada also produced projects like the album Look at My Soul: The Latin Shade of Texas Soul (2018). He sought suggestions from several friends, who brought Burton to his attention. Despite some initial reluctance to accept Quesada’s request to talk, Burton eventually relented and sang for the guitarist during a phone call. With that impromptu audition of sorts, the two agreed to join forces as Black Pumas.

Shortly after getting its start with a weekly residency at the C-Boys Heart & Soul Bar in Austin, Black Pumas signed a deal with ATO Records. The first official releases were the early 2019 singles “Black Moon Rising” and “Fire.” Months later, the band put out its eponymous debut album to positive critical reviews. Before the year was out, Black Pumas received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. This honor was made possible in no small part due to the strong local following the band was enjoying in Austin. In fact, Black Pumas was so popular in its hometown that the band made history as the first to ever sell out four consecutive shows at the live performance venue Stubbs in the Texas city. On the strength of its newfound fame, Black Pumas launched a successful live tour and began making appearances on television programs including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Ellen Show, CBS This Morning, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and more. The band subsequently garnered even more attention after its virtual performance on President Joe Biden’s Celebrating America inauguration special on January 20, 2021.

At the 20th Annual Americana Honors & Awards in September 2021, Black Pumas received the Duo/Group of the Year award. Two months later, they received two Grammy nominations in the Rock category, bringing their total Grammy nominations to six. In October 2023, Black Pumas released their second studio album with ATO, Chronicles of a Diamond.

Bibliography

“Black Pumas.” AllMusic, 2021, www.allmusic.com/artist/black-pumas-mn0003769759. Accessed 16 May 2024.

“Black Pumas.” ATO Records, 2021, atorecords.com/artists/black-pumas. Accessed 5 Aug. 2021.

Browne, David. “Black Pumas: Rise of a Psychedelic-Soul Force.” Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2021, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/black-pumas-interview-grammys-935802. Accessed 5 Aug. 2021.

“Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada Reflect on Black Pumas Success, Grammy Nominations: ‘We’re in Another Stratosphere.’” CBS News, 9 Mar. 2021, www.cbsnews.com/news/black-pumas-eric-burton-adrian-quesada-grammy-nominated. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

Hall, Kristin M. “Black Pumas Grab Grammy Attention with Fusion of Rock, Soul.” AP News, 18 Feb. 2021, apnews.com/article/austin-grammy-awards-adrian-7aa1260dfb16942f4c371392ea5af7a6. Accessed 5 Aug. 2021.

Hernandez, Raoul. “Review: Black Pumas, Chronicles of a Diamond: Side B Rises to a Bar Set Mile-High by the Band's Golden Child Debut - Music.” The Austin Chronicle, 17 Nov. 2023, www.austinchronicle.com/music/2023-11-17/review-black-pumas-chronicles-of-a-diamond. Accessed 16 May 2024.

“Psychedelic Soul.” AllMusic, 2021, www.allmusic.com/style/psychedelic-soul-ma0000005025. Accessed 5 Aug. 2021.

Sanchez, Gabrielle. “Fall Deeper in Love with Black Pumas, Inauguration and Grammy Showstoppers.” Vulture, 21 Jan. 2021, www.vulture.com/2021/01/black-pumas-guide-grammys-inaguration.html. Accessed 16 May 2024.

“10 Essential Psychedelic Soul Albums.” Treble, 16 Apr. 2015, www.treblezine.com/best-psychedelic-soul-albums. Accessed 5 Aug. 2021.