Yesterday, queen of all time Dolly Parton passed. It got me thinking about country music, and what I love the most about it even when so much of it is absolutely noxious. The really good stuff manages to capture a blend of emotion that's difficult to name - nostalgia, yearning, regret, passion.
It's understandable why many queer folks shy away from the genre - but, despite it all, there is some really incredible queer country music being made all the time, and I think that's worth sharing and celebrating.
So here are some recs!
"Lavender Country" - Lavender Country (1973)
This album was a landmark as the first openly queer country album ever made, by Patrick Haggerty and a few friends working under the name Lavender Country. It's in turns comforting and furious, sweet and sad, and always yearning for a brighter future despite the miseries of the past and present. "Lavender Country", the closer of the album, talks about a genderless utopia where we can shake off the shackles of conformity and love who we love. I truly cannot recommend this song, and this album, enough.
"Fulton County Jane Doe" - Brandi Carlile (2018)
A true lesbian icon, Brandi Carlile's work is often deeply personal, about motherhood, queerness, and belonging. But I also love when she taps into the country tradition of story-song, and "Fulton County Jane Doe" is a favorite. It's an ode to an unidentified murder victim, a song meant to keep her memory alive and embody her as a full person with a full life - and in the same way, asks us to consider how we will all be remembered.
"Rattlesnake Girl" - Jaime Wyatt (2020)
Jaime Wyatt, a gay and nonbinary artist, talks compellingly in this song about the queer trauma and resilience hidden underneath the sequins. I love the timbre of their voice, it's just a really lovely ballad.
"C'mon Baby, Cry" - Orville Peck (2022)
I just really love this guy's voice and classic, neon-drenched point of view. This song is an ode to a younger self, extending a hand with permission to live freely. Music video is gorgeous, too.
"Outlaw Love" - Brooke Eden (2023)
Singing about the desire to love and marry her partner despite living in a part of the country desperate to regress. It's corny in the exact way I want a country love song to be.
"Where The Lavender Grows" - Mya Byrne (2022)
Mya worked for a long time as part of The Ramblers before coming out as a trans woman in 2014. Her identity is present throughout all of her music - this song in particular resonates deeply with the country themes of parting and reconnecting with a loved one, and yearning for a home where one can be truly free.
"It Must Be Love" - Ty Herndon (1998)
Ty Herndon hasn't been super active as a musician in recent years, but he was a staple of 90s and early 00s country. He came out as gay in 2014 and has done a ton of activism and charity work since. This song just embodies what's so good about country love songs.
"Empire of Love" - Amythyst Kiah (2024)
Often walking the line between bluegrass, country, and roots music, Amythyst Kiah writes deeply personal music about queerness, race, and love. This song is about seeking spiritual fulfillment in Appalachia, a love song to a deeply conflicted and special place in the American landscape. Also, she plays a mean banjo.
"I'm Down to My Last Cigarette" - k.d. lang (1988)
In the later parts of her career, k.d. lang moved away from country quite a bit (though it never fully left), but many still know her for her early country work. This song is a cover of a classic, but her voice on it is so clean and clear that it remains one of my absolute favorites.
"Shut Up and Drive" - Chely Wright (1997)
With a similar trajectory as Ty Herndon, Chely Wright was a mainstay of late 90s and 00s country but remained closeted until 2010. Since, she's become an activist and philanthropist, as well as marrying her long time partner in 2011. This song is one of her early hits, and it's still my favorite. Her voice is just so warm and comforting.
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (Ft. Dolly Parton) - Sam Williams (2021)
Grandson of country icon Hank Williams, Sam Williams has been making melancholy, sweet country since 2019 (and came out in 2022). This thoughtful, bittersweet duet with the late queen herself about the ways wealth becomes emotionally isolating is just gorgeous.
And there you go! There's so much more out there that I didn't cover here, and I would encourage everyone to go explore.
I also really recommend the documentary "Rebel Country" (you can watch for free!), about the new generation of country singers, often marginalized, working in what is often a regressive genre space. Some of the folks on this list are featured!
Okay thank you for reading! Love u!