Music For the People
We now have one Rainbow Rodeo live show in the books and it went better than I could have imagine it. Watching Robert Bock of the Locksmiths nail it from the first song with the Washington Heights skyline in the background had me in all of my feelings.
Isn't live music a beautiful thing? When the night started, the Penny Jo's regulars had no idea the show was even happening. By the end of the night, you had 50 strangers singing along to Brian Falduto's Dolly and Cher covers.
I couldn't help thinking of my very first Queer Country Monthly show down at Branded Saloon. My friends and I came in a little late and Karen waved us to the front. Who could have predicted the through line of being welcomed to that show to speaking at a panel at CRS?
But my favorite part of the night were all the people walking by and stopping to listen through the windows. As incredible and welcoming a place as Penny Jo's is, there's a whole other newsletter to be written about a bar that charges $14 for a cocktail on the edge of Harlem and Washington Heights. I wish the people walking by stopped and thought to come in for a while, but in those fleeting moments, everyone got to share the music, and it belonged to everyone. Here's to a future where everyone gets to have as much music they want, and that it fills our souls.
We'll have our next live show in May! (And speaking of Branded...)
Artist Resources
Music
Nan MacMillan stuns on From Both Eyes
British drag queen Amiss Tori casts a new look at American culture and country music on Sequins & Steel
Joel Brogon dispense everyday wisdom on "Flowers by the Road"
Interviews
Desdemona Dallas explains how they approach making music videos
Artist and Filmmaker Jess Silber Asks: If We Don't Lift Each Other Up, Then Who Will?
Playlist
This week features Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Rachel Garlin, Zoe Boekbinder, and more!
Rainbow Roundup
Rainbow Rodeo pal B-Sides & Badlands premiered trans country artist Shawna Virago's new song "The Barman's Daughter!"
transrebelcowboy is having a discount on their online shop of cool af swag
The Indigo Girls made their dream country radio playlist -- if country radio represented actual country music -- on Good Country
If you haven't yet, read Beyonce's post about why she chose to make a country album
Jonathan Bernstein picked Lizzie No as an artist who represents the future of music
I hear you all like Chappell Roan and I hear her Tiny Desk performance was cool
Events
4/5 (Brooklyn, NY) -- Brittany Ann Tranbaugh, Balir Borax, and Stefan Weird are playing Alphaville from 8 PM - 10 PM. Get tickets here.
4/7 (Chicago, IL) -- Queer Country Bandwagon is playing its first-ever show! Richelle told me she started the band in part because she was inspired by Rainbow Rodeo, so show her and QCB some love!
4/11 - 5/8 (Southeast - Northeast) -- Brandy Clark is hitting the road with Sistastrings and Jobi Riccio
5/6 (Nashville) -- Life Literacy Education, whom we've profiled on Rainbow Rodeo, is throwing a benefit show featuring Rachael Sage, Sar Rudy of Hello June, Will Payne Harrison, J. Dewveall, and many others!
6/6 (Torrey, UT) — Jaime Wyatt is playing Fort Desolation Fest
6/22 (Vienna, VA) — Storied venue the Wolf Trap is hosting an Out & About Fest, featuring Brittany Howard, Jenny Lewis, Kim Gordon, and many more artists!
Artist Resources
DEADLINE 4/1: Apply to perform at Philly Folk Fest!
What's a premiere and how do you pitch it?
Got a release coming up? Add it to Country Everywhere’s newsletter! Country Everywhere is a directory of artists and news for queer, BIPOC, and disabled artists.
With Bandcamp changing hands and union busting, here are some alternative resources for selling your music online
Are you on BlueSky? Queer country artist 2 AM Wake Up Call created this feed of musicians. You can ask them to be added to the feed!
I also made a Y’alltertantive Feed on Bluesky. Let me know if you’d like your posts to appear on the feed!
We Are Moving the Needle is looking for women and non-binary audio engineers and music producers
Eli Conley is teaching Unlock the Song Inside: Beginning Songwriting Class for Queer & Trans Folks & Allies, and he also offers an online LGBTQ+ songwriter circle!
Are you on Mastodon or another part of the Fediverse? Get your music on RadioFreeFedi!
PS — If you’re thinking of joining Mastodon, make an account on musician.social and read my tips for making Mastodon work for you!
Submit your music and events to The Q LGBTQ Creative Network
This Twitter thread has a whole list of places to find jobs in the music industry
And here’s a list of resources for “women” entering the music industry — presumably they also encourage nonbinary participants
Submit your profile to the Country Everywhere which seeks to unite BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled artists and professionals
Sign up to the Black Opry Revue’s interest form!
Check out the weekly Queerfolk Fest show in Nashville