Rainbow Rodeo For the People
Howdy, cowpokes!
It’s a big week for Rainbow Rodeo. Thank you, as always, for being a part of this project and supporting queer country artists and journalism!
I (along with many others) was interviewed by Meredith Lawrence for Grammy.com about the state of affairs in country music
I co-edited this week’s issue of Good Country, the country music newsletter put out by the Bluegrass Situation! Definitely go on over there and read and subscribe etc. We’ve got a beautiful personal essay from Josh Friedberg about belonging in country music, my hero Bee Dolores interviewed Shawna Virago, and Asha Swann spun up an excellent queer country playlist. All three of them have written for the zine in the past, and it’s thanks to your contributions and support that I’ve been able to invite them to do more work!
One day I’ll be better at self-promotion. The clock is running out on this year’s Sirius XM Country Pride channel but you can hear my Wide Open Spaces show at 9pm ET, 6/20 @ 11am ET, 6/21 @ 2pm ET, 10pm ET. The episode features YAINT, The Locksmiths, Creekbed Carter Hogan, and many more queer country artists you might not know yet, but you will love them!
Album Reviews
Country Risque channel Lavender Country’s sexy rapscallion energy on Doe-Eyed Loverboys & Saints
Richard Marcus reviews Adeem the Artist’s astonishing Anniversary
New Music
Adam Mac takes us to cowboy bootcamp on “Dust Off Your Boots”
Interviews
Melissa Carper talks up Eureka Springs, Arkansas on our Pride Month column, Pride of Place
Amy Annelle urges late-in-life queers to “keep going“
Secret Emchy Society talks toxic beauty culture and the weird wavelength she shares with Orville Peck with the release of “End of Pretty”
Rainbow Roundup
Angie K and other Latinx country artists discuss inclusion and belonging in the genre (Billboard)
Carve out some time to read Charles Hughes’ interview with Matthew D. Morrison about his new book Blacksound. There’s an especially deep moment about the nebulous creation of Americana — and it’s something worth thinking about with relation to queer country as well. (No Fences Review)
Aaron Lee Tasjan talks enlisting producer Lafemmebear to remix his song “Nightmare” for Pride Month (Variety)
NPR Music’s Jewly Hight talks the ballroom scene in Nashville — no, not ballroom dancing. (WLPN)
This book looks neat!
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8NHz3ouKxJ/?igsh=dXdqcmd3aTcxN3M1
Events
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!
6/22 (London, UK) — Queer C*ntry and Pink Suits are playing a free gig at Southbank Centre
6/23 (Durham, NC) — So thrilled that Catherine the Great is performing again — this time with Amy Andrews at Seance Listening Room
6/28 (San Francisco) — Proud Mary is throwing a Queermericana Pridefest at Verdi Club, featuring Secret Emchy Society, Country Risque, and Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters
7/25 (NYC) — Stud Country has been hosting queer line-dancing parties at Brooklyn Bowl. This time, they’re bringing the party to a free outdoor dance night at Lincoln Center
7/31 (Philadelphia) — Brittan Ann Tranbaugh is headlining Johnny Brenda’s with Palmyra
8/4 (London, UK) — Rae Spoon plays the Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses
8/23 - 8/25 (Nashville) - Orville Peck is throwing a killer festival
10/3 (Harvard, MA) — Mary Gauthier leads a songwriting workshop and an evening of song with Jamee Harris at The Fruitlands Museum
10/17 - 10/20 (Texas) — Mary Gauthier, Jaimee Harris, and Carrie Rodriguez launch their Three Women & The Truth tour
Artist Resources
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