Hey, cowpokes!
It’s Pride! And I can only hear that phrase in the “It’s corn!” kid voice.
I have somehow become an avid baseball fan and so a lot of the Pride Discourse I’m seeing these days is which teams and which players would love to see me cease to exist. It’s fun! I’m thrilled to go to the first Pride celebration the Yankees will host (and they’re doing a whole month, not just one night) but I am also scared of whether or not certain players will protest the proceedings. I am by no means a diehard fan but it would be a bummer to know who hates me — just like when a country music or Americana artist decides to share their “loving kindness”-based convictions.
More than in my adulthood, this year’s Pride feels more like a protest — and I was going to marches before same sex marriage was legal. New York City’s Dyke March is always a mandatory part of my celebrations, but this year we might actually go to the main parade. Seems like it could be important. Maybe something will pop off. But there’s a lot of construction along the parade route this year with plenty of bricks and rubble around. Just saying.
Personally, I enjoy the gatherings and celebrations at friends’ homes — not necessarily getting turnt but having a fun excuse to get together and to take up space. But as more and more attention gets turned towards my transmasc body, I do feel a growing sense of unease. I’ll be going to Nashville at the end of the month and I am having all kinds of apprehensions.
But there’s some exciting news as well! I will once again be the voice of Sirius XM’s queer country channel, Country Pride, which will launch this coming Monday. (Don’t worry — I’ll post about it and send links.) I am also launching the fundraiser for issue 3 of the Rainbow Rodeo zine! This is your reminder to subscribe to the Patreon to get your copy, and other pre-order info will be up on Monday.
Happy pride! Stay safe and be joyous!
Rainbow Roundup
- Read Alex Riggs‘ moving tribute to Patrick Haggerty of Lavender Country on Talkhouse
- Jaimee Harris appeared on this week’s Mountain Stage!
- Lily Rose teamed up with Diplo on The Voice (h/t The Boot)
- Support disabled artists when you support Rampd
- 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
- 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
- And here’s a directory of DIY HRT
- Eli Conley is running a queer songwriting circle
Basically this
Album Releases
6/2 — Beau Wheeler
6/2 — Torey McDowell — Not a Man
6/30 — Joanna Sternberg
Events
- 5/7 – 6/4 — Eli Conley is doing a short West Coast tour
- 6/3 — Brittany Ann Tranbaugh is playing at a community garden in Philly with Liv Green and Eliza Edens! Come through!
- 6/7 — Ty Herndon’s annual Concert For Love and Acceptance is at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon
- 6/12 — Brian Falduto will be playing City Winery’s pride show in NYC
- 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!
Artist Resources
- Rampd supports disabled artists and music industry professionals
- 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