Every week, Rainbow Rodeo brings you the best new queer country music! Listen to this playlist on Spotify! Thanks to Elliott for making a parallel list on Apple Music! Listen to the parallel list on Tidal. Missed a week? Thomas Inskeep is generously keeping an archive of all music featured on this Spotify playlist.
Also — if you’re looking for a Valentine’s gift — you can now purchase issue 3 of Rainbow Rodeo!
Eliza Hanson — “Blue”
Eliza Hanson attempts to the bridge gap on the poignant “Blue.” The Milwaukee folk singer’s voice trembles dangerously as she attempts to get her beloved’s attention. Add an ear-grabbing slide guitar that only emphasizes the narrator’s isolation and you’ve got yourself a brooding, atmospheric folk song.
Juliette Stewart — “Shame On You”
Juliette Stewart channels ’70s folk rock greats on her epic “Shame On You.” Sometimes you need to tell your partner where to shove it, and we should all be so lucky to get a chorus backing us up. Stewart’s brassy voice shines with brassy energy.
Sarah King — “The Longest Night”
Sarah King radiates longing on “The Longest Night.” We spoke with her about it when it came out a few weeks ago, but I wanted to include it this week because King is just over a day away from the end of her Kickstarter campaign and she has about $2500 to go (as of this writing.) Go ahead and contribute because we all know this song needs to be on an album!
Crys Matthews — “Room (ft. Melody Walker and Heather Mae)”
I love it when some of my favorite people are collected all in one room. Crys Matthews has done just that with fiery singer-songwriter Melody Walker and Heather Mae, an emotionally devastating singer-songwriter in her own right. But the three of them kick here it on “Room,” an inviting overture to get a little closer. Crys also has a Kickstarter that’s already funded, but I believe you can still contribute to it before it ends in three days.
Jennifer Vena Wood — “Soft All the Time”
Jennifer Vena Wood is an inspiration to me. Wood is steadfastly DIY and is recovering from a long illness, making her music all the more precious as each recording is a snapshot of the long road to healing. Here, Wood mourns a relationship that couldn’t quite click.