The Inherent Campiness of Country Music
Fundraising Update
Hey, cowpokes! We are in the home stretch of the Rainbow Rodeo issue 4 fundraiser -- only $350 left to go! Now, anyone who makes a donation or order of any amount will be entered to win a portrait (pet or human) from Mystic Coyote, who created the gorgeous illustration for Rainbow Rodeo issue 3.
Make your purchase or donation today!
YAINT Breaks it Down
eryn brothers, also known as YAINT, put out their new EP The Softer Side of Me today. eryn and I have known each other since we worked together on Country Queer. they are one of the funniest people I know and I'm so excited to have this EP. In our interview yesterday, eryn did a fantastic job of breaking down the queerness of country music.
A lot of country music is so hyper masculine. Orville Peck does a great job trolling the people who use country music to assert their manhood-by exemplifying the inherent campiness of machismo, he’s able to show an audience how inherently queer country music/culture is.
On the other side of things, women in country music are asked to be the pinnacle of conventionally attractive, in terms of looks and social propriety. To go against that concept means being “one of the boys,” which just doesn’t work for everyone, and is still acquiescing to status quo.
I don’t fit into either of these categories. Neither do a lot of us, in country music, and thank every god and Dolly Parton in between for that. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have incredible talents like Creekbed Carter Hogan or Adeem the Artist.
So, to conclude my tedtalk, a lot of the album title is making fun of these circumstances in country music, and of the world. I don’t want to be one or the other, I just want to walk on the softer side of me, without the restrictions of convention or gender.
Reviews
Sarah King gets bluesy and low-down on When It All Goes Down
Sarah Shook & The Disarmers make their most clear-eyed and confident music yet on Revelations
Katie Pruitt weaves a new faith on Mantras
Queer country artist Autumn Sky Hall reviews Aaron Lee Tasjan's wild Stellar Evolution
Playlist
This week's playlist is a double-wide (ten songs) including Orville Peck, Ana Egge, Zach Day, and many, many more!
Rainbow Roundup
The Academy of Country Music (notoriously the more conservative of the major country music organizations) announced its nominees this week. Brothers Osborne picked up noms for duo of the year; Luke Combs got noms for Single of the Year and Song of the Year "Fast Car" -- which means, by extension, so did Tracy Chapman; Tyler Childers got a nom for the music video for "In Your Love" (Steacy Easton's rebuttal to the video is in issue 4 of Rainbow Rodeo). No women were nominated for technical awards! Hopefully this list becomes more queen and less cishet white male in the years to come.
Me when Nashville-based artists claim they are the "first" or "pioneers" in queer country
https://www.tiktok.com/@prettycritical/video/7355542661928897834?_r=1&_t=8lORWaUc0tf
Events
4/21 (Brooklyn) -- The Holler will be hosting a queer art bazaar
5/2 (San Francisco) -- Shawna Virago will be playing an album release party at El Rio
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!
5/25 (Brooklyn) -- Rainbow Rodeo Live! at Branded Saloon with The Locksmiths, Jackfruit, Mylo Choy, and Tami Hart!
6/5 (Nashville) -- Ty Herndon's annual Concert For Love and Acceptance
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
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