Linda Martell

Linda Martell (born Thelma Bynem; June 4, 1941) is an American country and R&B music artist. She became the first commercially-successful black female artist in the country field and the first to play the Grand Ole Opry. As one of the first African-American country performers, Martell helped influence the careers of future Nashville artists of color.

Personal life Martell has been married twice. At age 19, she first wed drummer Clark Thompson. The couple would soon have three children. In 1966, the pair separated and she later remarried business owner, Ted Jacobs. Jacobs also brought one child from his first marriage and the family lived in Nashville while Martell was signed to Plantation Records. She discussed her domestic life with Ebony magazine in 1970, explaining the challenges associated with being a traveling performer while also being a wife and mother. "I'm used to spending time with my family," she recalled. After leaving the country industry, the Jacobs and Martell separated. Jacobs' business partner and Martell then started a romantic relationship. Together, the couple traveled and lived in several states before Martell returned to South Carolina. In 2004, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent radiation treatment. Making a full recovery, she later moved in with one of her children in South Carolina where she remains today.