Hot damn! Country music has gotten gay as hell & these queer honky-tonk bangers prove it
By Editors · 22 comments· Updated on March 26, 2024
Howdy, partner!
In case you haven’t noticed, queers have been slyly infiltrating country music for a while now. The genre is notorious for not always welcoming outsiders inside the honky-tonk. And by “outsiders” we mean anyone who isn’t a God-fearing, gun-slinging, whiskey-drinking, cis, white heterosexual.
But thanks to successful out artists like Orville Peck, Brandi Carlile, Lily Rose, and T.J. Osborne, as well as allies like Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue, Kacey Musgraves, and Dolly Parton, plus genre-benders like Lil Nas X and Lady Gaga, and acts like Trixie Mattel, Dixon Dallas, and Brian Falduto, the country music scene is being challenged to be more open and accepting.
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Country has long been seen as one of music’s most traditional genres, but these queer artists have been shaking things up.
And luckily, the industry has shown a willingness and ability to change, as we saw just last year when queer icon Tracy Chapman took home the CMA Award for Song of the Year, as well as Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuting at the top of Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart just last month.
Times are indeed a-changing. In celebration of the queering of country music, we’ve put together a playlist of Queer Country Bangers. List below and don’t forget to follow Queerty on Spotify while you’re at it.
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Black folks making country music is not a new thing. Many music historians agree that both jazz and country music were birthed from the melting pot of juke joints and honkytonks of the American South where pianos were banged, banjos twanged, and basses thwapped by plenty of folks of every color and creed. In the 1920’s however, the young music industry, in the interests of maximizing profit, split this music into ‘race’ and ‘hillbilly’ records, and so began the erasure of African-Americans from country music.
Unfortunately, in today’s musical landscape, this myth is unfairly perpetuated and a lot of pretty amazing music gets swept under the rug and into the shadows. In the interests of shining a light on some awesome Black queer and queer-friendly country artists, I give you a list of my favorites.
Hasn’t our community suffered enough without our collective soundtrack becoming the sounds of siblings screwing? Hardest of passes on music from the bottom shelf.
I became curious about country music years ago, after reading that during her time as First Lady, it was one of Jacqueline Kennedy’s favorite genres. She wished to see it elevated to a more honored and historic role in the evolution of American music.
It’s great to see more musicians leveraging the country sound to share their unique American experience.
I love Orville Peck. I have every song he’s put out. It is time for some new music, and a tour. I know he’s doing cruise ships now, but I need a concert here on dry land! I like Dixon Dallas . He has a terrific voice and writes catchy tunes. I don’t care that he won’t divulge his sexuality.
I’m not convinced country is as gay as you say, but I might have outed myself years before I actually came out by going wild over Tammy Wynette’s music video “Justified and Ancient” in the 90’s.
Patrick Haggerty, the trailblazer widely regarded as the first openly gay country singer, died on Monday surrounded by his husband and children, according to a statement on his band’s Instagram page. He was 78.Nov 2, 2022
This morning, we lost a great soul. RIP Patrick Haggerty. After suffering a stroke several weeks ago, he was able to spend his final days at home surrounded by his kids and lifelong husband, JB. Love, and solidarity,” reads the statement.
Lavender Country was the band’s name as well as the title of its debut album. The self-titled 1973 disc is the first known gay-themed album in country music history, according to Journal of Country Music. With tracks like “Come Out Singing” and “Cryin’ These C*cks***ing Tears,” it was funded and released by Gay Community Social Services of Seattle. Just 1,000 copies of the album were pressed for that first release.
D.C. Cowboys, Remingtons, Brodeo, gay news, Washington Blade
The D.C. Cowboys performing for the ‘Brodeo’ at Remingtons in 2010. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
The D.C. gay bar Remingtons will close its doors for good on Monday, April 14, ending a run of 34 years in which Remingtons and its predecessor gay bar Equus operated in the same building on Capitol Hill at 639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.
Remingtons owner Douglas Bogaev said the bar’s customers are invited to join the staff on Monday night for a closing party.
Bogaev said a company that bought the building last year informed him of its plans to gut the inside structure to make way for a redesigned interior.
He said the new owner, which city property records identify as Mountain View Burleson, LLC, did not tell him what it plans to do with the building when the renovation is completed.
According to Bogaev, the previous owner offered to sell him the building but he declined, saying he wasn’t in a position financially to make the purchase. He said the company didn’t offer to rent him space in the building following the renovation. City records show Mountain View Burleson paid just over $3 million for the two-story structure that consists of two adjacent buildings.
“The rent was high and our country-western crowd died out,” Bogaev said. “I have a day job, and it was getting to be too much for me.”
He was referring to the reputation of Remingtons and its earlier incarnation of Equus as the city’s preeminent country-western gay bar. At its peak in the 1990s and early 2000s Remingtons often was packed to capacity on weekends and some weekday evenings with country-western dance enthusiasts filling the bar’s large dance floor.
Bartender Mike Swain said Remingtons turned to other forms of entertainment and music around 2007 when the country-western crowd stopped coming. Drag shows, hip-hop music nights, a popular Latino night on Saturdays, and Karaoke in the bar’s upstairs room were among the offerings in recent years, Swain said.
“Business has been good,” he said. “It’s really a shame this is happening. I’m very sad to see it go.”
Since it opened in 1980 as Equus, the bar catered to a mostly gay male clientele with a country-western theme. The late Steven Smith, Bogaev’s domestic partner, bought the bar with business partner Dick Brandrupt in 1985, Bogaev said. He said Smith and Brandrupt changed the name to Remingtons around 1986 or 1987.
Smith became the sole owner around 1997, according to records from the city’s liquor board. Bogaev assumed ownership following Smith’s death in 2011 of liver cancer.
While C/W is not my favorite genre, one can easily find ways by finding certain artists to help you appreciate it.
If one is a music lover and you say things like you hate C/W, Bluegrass, Opera, Rap, Hip-Hop, Punk, Electronica, Disco, The Carpenters………………….then really, you’re not a music lover.
Beyonce’s Texas Hold Em is nauseating everywhere on social media platforms. More torture than muzak played “on hold” when on your phone. Not impressed with her ‘country’ efforts anyways. She is no Mother Maybelle Carter or June Carter. She just Mrs Jay Z Carter …. so rap on.
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abfab
kd lang
C’mon Queerty!
LumpyPillows
Yes, Miss Lang!
abfab
Excerpts from COUNTRYQUEER . COM
see her list here ^
BLACK, QUEER, AND HELLA COUNTRY
by Cindy Emch
Black folks making country music is not a new thing. Many music historians agree that both jazz and country music were birthed from the melting pot of juke joints and honkytonks of the American South where pianos were banged, banjos twanged, and basses thwapped by plenty of folks of every color and creed. In the 1920’s however, the young music industry, in the interests of maximizing profit, split this music into ‘race’ and ‘hillbilly’ records, and so began the erasure of African-Americans from country music.
Unfortunately, in today’s musical landscape, this myth is unfairly perpetuated and a lot of pretty amazing music gets swept under the rug and into the shadows. In the interests of shining a light on some awesome Black queer and queer-friendly country artists, I give you a list of my favorites.
daddys4u
have u ever heard of Billy Gilman?
monty clift
Orville Peck made that trite of a song tolerable. Good on him.
LumpyPillows
I would never have predicted country going gay. Well, to be honest, this seems more like on-the-down-low, than all out gay, but I’ll take it.
abfab
The 90’s when Gay Rodeos were big, so was C/W. Line dancing was in. Cowboy drag was in. The lesbians were leaping.
LumpyPillows
We were country back then, true. I guess it’s coming full circle.
Seth
Hasn’t our community suffered enough without our collective soundtrack becoming the sounds of siblings screwing? Hardest of passes on music from the bottom shelf.
bachy
I became curious about country music years ago, after reading that during her time as First Lady, it was one of Jacqueline Kennedy’s favorite genres. She wished to see it elevated to a more honored and historic role in the evolution of American music.
It’s great to see more musicians leveraging the country sound to share their unique American experience.
abfab
How can anyone not love Patsy Cline. I know, I know she wasn’t Gay but how can anyone not love Patsy Cline.
Emmylou Harris.
Johnny Cash.
Wheelerman
I love Orville Peck. I have every song he’s put out. It is time for some new music, and a tour. I know he’s doing cruise ships now, but I need a concert here on dry land! I like Dixon Dallas . He has a terrific voice and writes catchy tunes. I don’t care that he won’t divulge his sexuality.
abfab
Peck is outstanding!
FreddieW
I’m not convinced country is as gay as you say, but I might have outed myself years before I actually came out by going wild over Tammy Wynette’s music video “Justified and Ancient” in the 90’s.
LumpyPillows
“Justified and Ancient” was fun! It was more Tammy crossing over.
Bonerboy
LOVED Justified and Ancient. Tammy was great in the video (which, honestly, is a little campy…)
abfab
Patrick Haggerty, the trailblazer widely regarded as the first openly gay country singer, died on Monday surrounded by his husband and children, according to a statement on his band’s Instagram page. He was 78.Nov 2, 2022
This morning, we lost a great soul. RIP Patrick Haggerty. After suffering a stroke several weeks ago, he was able to spend his final days at home surrounded by his kids and lifelong husband, JB. Love, and solidarity,” reads the statement.
Lavender Country was the band’s name as well as the title of its debut album. The self-titled 1973 disc is the first known gay-themed album in country music history, according to Journal of Country Music. With tracks like “Come Out Singing” and “Cryin’ These C*cks***ing Tears,” it was funded and released by Gay Community Social Services of Seattle. Just 1,000 copies of the album were pressed for that first release.
-Deadline
abfab
D.C. Cowboys, Remingtons, Brodeo, gay news, Washington Blade
The D.C. Cowboys performing for the ‘Brodeo’ at Remingtons in 2010. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
The D.C. gay bar Remingtons will close its doors for good on Monday, April 14, ending a run of 34 years in which Remingtons and its predecessor gay bar Equus operated in the same building on Capitol Hill at 639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.
Remingtons owner Douglas Bogaev said the bar’s customers are invited to join the staff on Monday night for a closing party.
Bogaev said a company that bought the building last year informed him of its plans to gut the inside structure to make way for a redesigned interior.
He said the new owner, which city property records identify as Mountain View Burleson, LLC, did not tell him what it plans to do with the building when the renovation is completed.
According to Bogaev, the previous owner offered to sell him the building but he declined, saying he wasn’t in a position financially to make the purchase. He said the company didn’t offer to rent him space in the building following the renovation. City records show Mountain View Burleson paid just over $3 million for the two-story structure that consists of two adjacent buildings.
“The rent was high and our country-western crowd died out,” Bogaev said. “I have a day job, and it was getting to be too much for me.”
He was referring to the reputation of Remingtons and its earlier incarnation of Equus as the city’s preeminent country-western gay bar. At its peak in the 1990s and early 2000s Remingtons often was packed to capacity on weekends and some weekday evenings with country-western dance enthusiasts filling the bar’s large dance floor.
Bartender Mike Swain said Remingtons turned to other forms of entertainment and music around 2007 when the country-western crowd stopped coming. Drag shows, hip-hop music nights, a popular Latino night on Saturdays, and Karaoke in the bar’s upstairs room were among the offerings in recent years, Swain said.
“Business has been good,” he said. “It’s really a shame this is happening. I’m very sad to see it go.”
Since it opened in 1980 as Equus, the bar catered to a mostly gay male clientele with a country-western theme. The late Steven Smith, Bogaev’s domestic partner, bought the bar with business partner Dick Brandrupt in 1985, Bogaev said. He said Smith and Brandrupt changed the name to Remingtons around 1986 or 1987.
Smith became the sole owner around 1997, according to records from the city’s liquor board. Bogaev assumed ownership following Smith’s death in 2011 of liver cancer.
LumpyPillows
I almost hooked up with a guy in DC Cowboys on a gay cruise years ago. I didn’t because he was high as a kite. Looking back, I should have done it!
abfab
While C/W is not my favorite genre, one can easily find ways by finding certain artists to help you appreciate it.
If one is a music lover and you say things like you hate C/W, Bluegrass, Opera, Rap, Hip-Hop, Punk, Electronica, Disco, The Carpenters………………….then really, you’re not a music lover.
FreddieW
You threw everything in there so someone would bite, so who am I to disappoint?
Rap isn’t music, and opera is bad foreign theater with singers for actors. Can’t watch either.
The rest is fine, but I can only take bluegrass in 30-minute installments of The Beverly Hillbillies.
Winsocki
Beyonce’s Texas Hold Em is nauseating everywhere on social media platforms. More torture than muzak played “on hold” when on your phone. Not impressed with her ‘country’ efforts anyways. She is no Mother Maybelle Carter or June Carter. She just Mrs Jay Z Carter …. so rap on.