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.
Harper Grae — “Good Witch: The Murder of Sarah Good”
‘Tis the season for some queer country Halloween songs. From the title, you’d think Harper Grae’s “Good Witch: The Murder of Sarah Good” would be a somber affair. However, Grae sprinkles a little fairy dust on the production and leans heavily onto the “good witch” part of the title. The metaphor between outcasts for witchcraft and LGBTQ+ people hits home here and pays off with Grae’s big voice.
Cameron Hawthorne — “Spell On You”
Cameron Hawthorne expands his usual country radio sound onto this liberating disco-inspired cover of “Spell On You.” Hawthorne spins a little twang on here, but the song is very much about entrancing the object of one’s affections and they hypnotic beat does the job well. One can only imagine the kind of chaotic rapture it would produce in a club — or your Halloween dance party.
Kam Franklin — “Byrd and Shepard”
Kam Franklin speaks out against the violence of historical censorship on “Byrd and Shepherd.” Only a few weeks apart, James Byrd, Jr. was murdered in Jasper, TX by white supremacists for being Black on June 7, 1998. In October, Matthew Shepard was murdered in Laramie, WY for being gay. These events impressed themselves on Franklin when she was 11, and she has held on to them since. Franklin’s message may be backed by a catchy beat, but that only emphasizes Franklin’s confidence in the victory of empowerment and pride in the face of shame and silence.
Fancy Hagood — “Southern Sound”
Fancy Hagood has already established himself as a purveyor of big vocals and Southern pride (in all senses.) “Southern Sound” is no exception, with gloriously romantic lyrics and a catchy beat. But Hagood brings a kind of awe to this song, as if hoping to capture a precious moment that may end up being all-too-fleeting. It’s a delicate balance to bring that sense of fragility to a pop song, and Hagood displays his incredible skill here.
The Kentucky Gentlemen — “Neon Cowboy”
The Kentucky Gentlemen are peerless in their ability to bring joy and sensuality to country music. Their chemistry is fueled by their being twins — you don’t get harmonies like that unless you’ve grown up singing together. “Neon Cowboy” further cements their place in the country pantheon — here’s hoping an album follows soon.