The Briefest CMA Recap
Things have been a little quiet this week as I (Rachel) rounded the corner on finals. Two great albums came out today, though: Jude Brothers' render tender / blunder sunder and hotshot guitarist Michelle Malone's Fan Favorites, Vol. 1 Unplugged. Stay tuned for my review of Malone's album now that I have endured my final finals period later this week -- and we'll have lots more on Jude Brothers from Gion Davis and Carla Frankenbach in the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, I never pay attention to the CMA awards but it's neat to note that the Brothers Osborne won best duo again (and well-deserved!) And if you want to watch a breathtaking performance, look no further than the War and the Treaty.
And in exciting news, the Americana Music Association has nominated Adeem the Artist, SG Goodman, and Sunny War for 2023 Emerging Artist of the Year! Allison Russell was nominated for artist of the year as well as song of the year with "You're Not Alone" (feat. Brandi Carlile.) Finally, Angel Olsen's Big Time was nominated for album of the year. A heart congrats to all of this year's nominees -- they truly were all well-deserved -- but this queer country site is excited for queer country artists. It wasn't so long ago that I was thinking, "damn, I wish there were more famous queer country artists" and it looks like that's about to happen.
This Week on Rainbow Rodeo
Jennifer Vena Wood's album The No Spoons Sessions is gorgeous, resilient, and human
INTERVIEW: Jobi Riccio has flung down the girl folk singer drag and is embracing her true self
Album Releases
Here are all of the queer country album releases this month! Let me know if I should add something to the list!
5/10 — Jude Brothers
5/12 — Michelle Malone
5/19 — Brandy Clark
Rainbow Roundup
Autumn Sky Hall/Otto is making a "queer as shit Americana" album. Help her!!!
What do you mean you don't want this $2 comic about butch cowgirls and gender rolemodels???
You can sign up to table at the Punk Island zine fair, or volunteer for the Brooklyn-based festival. There will be quite a few Americana and folk musicians there. I don’t think a date has been announced.
If you’re here, you like music zines. Longtime *Wide Open Country* contributor Addie Moore is taking pre-orders for their indie punk zine *No Spectators*
Did you know that artists at SXSW get paid in virtual pennies and still have to buy a festival pass if they want to see someone else’s show? That sucks! Demand fair pay for SXSW
You can get almost 50% off the book Queer Country using this code: F21UIP
This thread gives advice on self-managed transition in Alabama and other states that restrict our bodily autonomy
Queer songwriting circle https://www.eliconley.com/group-classes.html#circle
Podcast Spotlight
Get to know Mya Byrne now, because she is going to become a household name. Her newest album, Rhinestone Tomboy, is out now on Kill Rock Stars Records. KRS is the legendary riot grrl record label, and Rhinestone Tomboy is the first record off its brand new Nashville imprint.
As I wrote in my profile in the Nashville Scene, that's not the only first for this project: the video for "It Don't Fade" features a kiss shared between Mya and her partner, songwriter Swan Real. When the video was broadcast on CMT, it made them the first known transfemme kiss on broadcast TV. When the pair repeated their performance at the Love Rising Concert in Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, they became what is almost certainly the first openly transfemme couple to do so.
Learn more about Brooklyn Transcore here.
Learn more about Nashville Transcore here.
Support Rainbow Rodeo when you subscribe for as little as $4 a year.
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Libsyn Directory
Get to know Mya Byrne now, because she is going to become a household name. Her newest album, Rhinestone Tomboy, is out now on Kill Rock Stars Records. KRS is the legendary riot grrl record label, and Rhinestone Tomboy is the first record off its brand new Nashville imprint. As I wrote in my profile in the , that’s not the only first for this project: the video for “It Don’t Fade” features a kiss shared between Mya and her partner, songwriter Swan Real. When the video was broadcast on CMT, it made them the first known transfemme kiss on broadcast TV. When the pair repeated their performance at the Love Rising Concert in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, they became what is almost certainly the first openly transfemme couple to do so. Learn more about Brooklyn Transcore . Learn more about Nashville Transcore . Support Rainbow Rodeo when you for as little as $4 a year. You can also for a mere $15.
Events
5/7 - 6/4 -- Eli Conley is doing a short West Coast tour
6/7 -- Ty Herndon's annual Concert For Love and Acceptance is at Nashville's Wildhorse Saloon
6/23 - 25: Melissa Carper, Alisa Amador, Maya deVitry, The Faux Paws, and Amy Martin are playing the Red Wing Roots Music Festival in Mount Solon, Virginia
7/8 -- Margate, UK -- The Queer Cuntry Summer Fair will feature a whole slew of queer country performers!
Advertise in Rainbow Rodeo
All kinds of price points to advertise on the podcast, newsletter, or zine. (Deadline for the zine is 3/31!) Click here and help support the queer country community!
Rainbow Rodeo Playlist
Updated every week!
Thanks to Elliott for making a parallel list on Apple Music!
Listen to the parallel list on Tidal.
Missed a week? Thomas Inskeep is generously keeping an archive of all music featured on this Spotify playlist.
Artist Resources
DEADLINE 5/20: Braver Angels Music is launching a songwriting contest to “inspire citizens to appreciate their differences and to look above social divides”
Todd Farrell Jr., lead singer of the Benchmarks and sideman for Sammy Kay Jr and Two Cow Garage, is fielding songs for a comp album to fight voter suppression in Tennessee. Apply here!
Apply to play a street stage at IBMA, the premiere bluegrass festival! (Stacy Chandler says that all roots music artists are encouraged to apply)
DEADLINE 5/19: The Amador Arts Council has put out a call for artists of all media to submit works with the theme WAY OUT WEST, celebrating LGBTQAI2S+ history throughout the western frontiers
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! https://radiofreefedi.net/
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