Queering the Cowboy (And Live Events!)
Hey, cowpokes -- before we dive in to Stefanie Cuthbert's brilliant history of queer cowboys in country music, I want to make a few announcements:
1) The Rainbow Rodeo Live show in NYC is happening THIS Sunday!!! Scroll down for more details
2) I updated the essay I wrote last week on the website. I sincerely apologize for misgendering longtime DJ Jaye Albright. I also updated the article to reflect that CRS's daily bulletin is written by the Country Aircheck staff, not CRS. Thank you to Jess Wright for the corrections!
3) The zine is almost done -- just sending one more proof to the printer!
4) You can read the rest of this article on the Rainbow Rodeo Patreon, where you'll also receive an e-copy of the zine in 2 weeks!
“Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other”, or so Ned Sublette sang back in 1981. Although Sublette himself was straight, the song is purported to be inspired by gay cowboy iconography of the seventies (think Tom of Finland and the Village People). In the years since, the song’s taken on a wonderfully queer second life, covered by Willie Nelson in 2006 for the soundtrack of Brokeback Mountain, that most quintessential of gay cowboy movies, and, more recently, by Orville Peck (but more on him later).
Although it’s easy to imagine this unsubtle song as being the first instance of a recording artist putting to music what many strongly suspected about hyper masculine subcultures, ‘The Lavender Cowboy’ of 1930 has it beat by fifty years. There’s no denying the clearly homophobic lyrics of the original and the subsequent versions it spawned down through the decades. It wasn’t sung by a queer artist until Tom Robinson (of ‘(Sing If You’re) Glad to be Gay’ fame) recorded it in 2000 in a wonderful moment of own voices reclamation. It’s also highly likely the late great Patrick Haggerty’s inspiration for the title of his influential, unashamedly queer country band, Lavender Country.
Read a longer excerpt on Rainbow Rodeo, and the full article on the Patreon!
Album Reviews
Molly O'Leary sears and soothes on their brilliant debut album Marigolds
Cindy Emch of the Secret Emchy Society pulls back the curtain on her legendary gothicana output with her new demos EP The Lost Feral Tapes
New Music
Karen and the Sorrows' Jewish Values Urge Her to Call for "Ceasefire"
Playlist
This week's playlist features Adeem the Artist, Brittan Ann Tranbaugh, the Kentucky Gentlemen, and more!
Rainbow Roundup
Wide Open Country is shutting down. WOC is where I got my start writing professionally and they have long been supportive of LGBTQ+ artists and artists of color -- in spite of pressure from above. Make sure you show them and their writers some love, and reach out if you know of any writing opportunities! I will be more than happy to pass them along.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but that leaves Holler, Americana Highways, Taste of Country, No Depression, and The Bluegrass Situation/Good Country as the remaining large country and roots-focused outlets -- period, not just the ones that will actually run stories about marginalized artists. Very odd considering mainstream country is now more successful than it's been in decades!
Just to plug myself: I interviewed Lizzie No for the Nashville Scene and we talked about destroying the patriarchy and stuff
We have some LGBTQ+ representation at the CMT Music Awards! Brothers Osborne and Brandy Clark got nominations, as well as Tyler Childer's video for "In Your Love"
them. just ran a playlist of queer country music because gays love Beyonce, right? I wanna give a shoutout to the writers Juan Velasquez and James Factory because they clearly know their shit! Is one of you subscribing to this newsletter? Say hi!
Don't Rock the Inbox, a fantastic source of good country and Americana, interviewed Jaime Wyatt
Speaking of newsletters, CJ Surbaugh, who interviewed Semler for issue 2 of the zine, has a new newsletter about country music, queerness, religion, and everything in between called death & texas
Garbage Day has some interesting advice for those of us who are trying to make subscription-based content. Bad news: newsltters and podcasts seem to bet he way of the future for now.
Sam Smith walked in Paris Fashion Week
Gretchen Peters, perhaps best known for writing Martina McBride's "Independence Day," is a trans ally
@gretchenpeters • One supportive parent can save a life. • Threads
One supportive parent can save a life.
Events
3/15 (Austin, TX) -- Heading to SXSW? Colton House will be hosting an afternoon of queer country music with Austin Lucas, Jared Deck, Paisley Fields, Ever More Nest, Secret Emchy Society, and Creekbed Carter
3/16 (Forth Worth, TX) — The Forth Worth African American Music fest returns featuring Lizzie No, Joy Clark, Crys Matthews, and Lilli Lewis as well as many others!
3/16 (Nashville, TN) -- Mercy Bell is playing the Lipstick Lounge for a mere $5!
3/17 (New York, NY) -- Rainbow Rodeo is hosting its very first show at Penny Jo's (163rd and Broadway) with Brian Falduto, Cactus Rose, Jackfruit, and The Locksmiths! No cover, but donations appreciated!
3/17 (Brooklyn, NY) -- There's going to be a Western swing dance at Three Dollar Bill starting at 3 PM. So go there first and then come up to the Heights for the Rainbow Rodeo show.
3/17 (Austin, TX) -- Jolie Nolen and Outlaw Pride will be hosting a queer country SXSW backyard party of their own from 12 - 8 PM, featuring Paisley Fields, Great Aunt, Secret Emchy Society, Ever More Nest, and many many more!
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!
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