It's All Drag If You Know What to Look For
Our weekly recap features country drag, Aubory Bugg's new album, an interview with Maddie Zahm, a response to "shut up and sing" -- and artist resources, and queer country events around the world!
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Toronto's the Ratskin Family Band is the world's first and only all drag country band. Formed in April 2024, the DIY "y'allternative" group blends high-energy live drag performance with classic country standards, reimagined pop hits, and original queer protest and roots music like their debut single “All You Fascists (Bound to Lose)”. At most drag shows, performers are lip syncing for their lives. But the Ratskin Family Band does not put on your typical drag show. When the self-proclaimed "first and only drag country band in the world" hit the stage, everything is performed live. This inspired them to record their debut EP Back to the Cuntry (out today) all live off the floor in studio, some songs in just 1 complete take. In their own words “As a live act who cut our teeth in bars, it only felt right to have our record be as lively and un-sterile as possible, we sound best when we know we only have one shot.”
In our interview, we discuss what it's like for a band who's just starting out – and the drag inherent in all country music.
Who are some of your musical influences?
As much as we love to really hit people over the head with the whole “world's first drag country band” thing, I think everything we do kind of orbits the very camp, over-the-top gender performance of 1970’s country music. Dolly Parton is for sure our biggest inspiration, in the grand scheme of things we’re sort of just picking up her wig in the relay race of it all. She was 100% a drag queen, and the greatest to ever do it in country music. So much of that era was so flashy, we’re drawn to the big hair, the nudie suits, these exaggerated gender roles in songs like Loretta Lynn’s “One’s on the Way.” To us, country music has always been drag. Even now, there's a lot of drag kings on top 40 country radio really playing up these hypermasculine personas. It’s all drag if you know what to look for.
Read the rest of the interview here!
Rainbow Rodeo Vol. 7
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This Week on Rainbow Rodeo
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Rainbow Roundup
- Do you wish Country Pride was a permanent channel on Sirius XM? Good news! Starting today, you can find it in Sirius XM XTRA on the app and web – and I'll be the voice of the station moving forward!
- Congrats to Rainbow Rodeo writer Steve Roberts for getting his poetry published in the drift! Read "How to Build a Chair" here (it's magnificent)
- Baseball player or Americana artist? The Nasvhille Scene has a quiz after my own heart (I only got one wrong, btw)
- Devon Leger of Hearth Music once again fights the good fight, sharing a list of folk artists actually representative of the genre
- For No Depression, Meredith Lawrence shines the monthly artist spotlight on Jude Brothers
- Congrats again to all of the Americana Music Association Awards winners!
- Via Marissa R Moss at Americanafest, check out Chris Pierce's beautiful response to "shut up and sing"
Fundraisers
- Robert Bock is finally recording that damn album of his and I'm so excited to have it in my hands so help me out by contributing (you'll need to hover over the images – I got a little confused at first)
- Marian Runk is Kickstarting her next album – and for a limited time you can get a very cute t-shirt!
- So many of the artists we feature here rely on shows like Mountain Stage and Tiny Desk to get the word out. If, like me, you live in a major city with a large donor base, your station is probably fine. So maybe adopt a station that's had more than 70% of its budget slashed? I'm choosing Allegheny Mountain Radio just because it fits the theme.
- Kamara Thomas, who is a co-organizer of Southern Soul Songbook, needs support as she recovers from Stage 3 breast cancer
- Color Me Country is seeking to raise $202,000 to support BIPOC artists with travel grants and more. Donate here.
Need a Protest Song Mixed?
Artist and Rainbow Rodeo contributor Arend Lee Jessurun has this offer for artists:
I'm looking to get back into the production/mixing/mastering game since a bit of a hiatus for health. I'm starting to better manage my energy with fibromyalgia, and I'm a bit antsy to do more of the work I love. And I'd especially love to work with other queers!
Also, if you've got protest music for these times, I'd love to produce, mix, and/or master it for cheap, even for free if I can swing it. If you're unfamiliar with my work and studio, check it out here.
Events
I make this list by scrolling through Instagram and Threads (and occasionally Bluesky when you all post there.) Feel free to send me events by replying to this e-mail!
- 9/18 (East Providence, RI) – Jessye DeSilva and her band play Myrtle
- 9/17 - 9/26 (British Columbia) – Mr Cindy and the Secret Emchy Society are on tour in British Columbia! Click here for dates!
- 9/18 - 9/20 (Lockhart, TX) – The Texas Women's Songwriter festival is back, and Rita Bliss is in the lineup
- 9/25 - 9/26 (New Orleans, LA) – Black Americanafest returns for a second year in a row. Some of the queer artists featured are Joy Clark, Lili Lewis, The Kentucky Gentlemen, Denitia, Grace Givertz – and many more!
- 10/8 - 11/12 (Great Britain) – Queer Cxntry hits the road across the jolly old England
- 10/9 (Chicago, IL) – Queer Country Bandwagon, Andrew Sa, and Iris Marlowe celebrate the Bandwagon's new music and National Coming Out Day at Judson & Moore
- 10/23 (Killkenny, Ireland) – Lizzie No plays Billy Byrne's
- 10/31 (Durham, NC) – Amelia Riggs and her new band play Sleepyfest
- 11/21 (New York, NY) – Brian Falduto has a Residency Encore and EP Release Show @ The Green Room 42 (Tickets here!)
Artist Resources
- Deadline 10/31: Attention Australian artists who are not cis men! Apply for a ToneShift microgrant for studio equipment and space here!
- List your queer New York City-based events in Groove
- UK artist Pearl Does Country wants to feature your music on his new internet radio show!
- Lovequeers wants to feature trans/gnc/nonbinary artists! More info here
- The Songbird Radio Show wants your music
- Someone from Threads is soliciting Queer music of all genres for her podcast
- The Wild Honey Pie is looking for YOUR folk music! (Think Western AF, but more twee.) Submit here
- The IndieBubble podcast network is soliciting country music submissions
- Radiofolk is soliciting folk/acoustic music
- Send in your music to this new alt-country radio station!
- 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’allternative 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!
- If you’re thinking of joining Mastodon, make an account on musician.social and read my tips for making Mastodon work for you!
- Once you do that, reach out to Moonshine Brigade to get added to their Americana and country music starter pack.
- Nice Hearing About Music highlights artists on the Fediverse - check them out and make sure they know about 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
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