Did Carter family invent country music? Shaboozey responds to Megan Moroney’s claim after Viral AMAs side eye

The impact of the Carter family group on the history of country music became the subject of a widespread debate about the genre’s foundations after artist Shaboozey’s reaction to Megan Moroney’s claims about the genre’s origins at the American Music Awards 2025 went viral.

The Carter family, a music group originally composed of family members A.P., Maybelle, and Sara Carter, who were active from the late 1920s. However, The Tennessean notes that the family did not invent country music.

The Carter family was taught songs and guitar techniques by a black musician, Lesley Riddle, who taught A.P. Carter songs such as Coal Miner's Blues, The Cannonball, and Let The Church Roll On, according to The Tennessean. Riddle, who used to live with the Carter family at one point, also taught Maybelle Carter the guitar picking technique of ‘bottleneck,’ as per the Birthplace of Country Music website.

In fact, the country music genre itself had a variety of early influences, and finds its origins in the instrument of banjo, a West African implement originally arriving to North America with African slaves, according to USA Today. The publication notes that the sound fused with other musical influences such as those of Latin, English, German, Scotch-Irish musical traditions over centuries to form the genre presently known as country music.

How did Shaboozey react to Megan Moroney’s claim that the Carter family “invented country music”?

While presenting the award for the favorite country duo or group at the American Music Awards 2025, Shaboozey and Megan Moroney seemed to disagree on the matter of the origins of country music.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Shaboozey, while introducing the favorite country duo or group category, paid tribute to black country music star, Charley Pride, and said,

“The very first year of this show, the award for Favorite Male Country Artist went to the great Charley Pride.”

Moroney went on to acknowledge the Carter family, and said,

“That same year, Favorite Female Artist went to Lynn Anderson. And this award went to the Carter family, who basically invented country music”

Entertainment Weekly reported that as soon as Moroney made the claim, Shaboozey’s face contorted and he gave his co-presenter a side-eye, seemingly disagreeing with her.

After the award show ended, Shaboozey took to social media platform X to clear the air. Referencing the comments made at the award presentation, Shaboozey wrote,

“When you uncover the true history of country music, you find a story so powerful that it cannot be erased…”

In a second post, Shaboozey added,

“The real history of country music is about people coming together despite their differences, and embracing and celebrating the things that make us alike.”

Perhaps Shaboozey was shedding light on the forgotten histories of pioneers such as Lesley Riddle.

Shaboozey was also careful about clearing the air when Moroney began receiving vitriolic social media comments, according to Entertainment Weekly.

In the comments section of one of Moroney’s posts, Shaboozey highlighted that his reaction was not a comment on Moroney herself. He wrote,

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“Just want to clear something up: my reaction at the AMAs had nothing to do with Megan Moroney! She’s an incredibly talented, hard-working artist who’s doing amazing things for country music and I’ve got nothing but respect for her.”

Shaboozey emphasized that his comments on the origins of country music did not at all reflect on Moroney.

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