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.
Howdy, cowpokes! Between the long weekend and the first week of the Rainbow Rodeo fundraiser, I got way behind on the Rainbow Ruckus playlist! Worry not — we’ve got ten brand new queer country songs this week. Orville Peck and Willie Nelson team up to transform the teasingly homophobic “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other” into a queer-positive anthem. Sadie Gustafson-Zook brings a little piece of her with her on the folksy “Girl On My Shoulder.” Purser builds tense folk pop anxiety on “Zero Sum.” Jared Deck blows us away on his bluesy “Two of a Kind,” while Reilly Downes refuses to settle down on “Dirty Love.” Zach Day’s angelic vocals soothe the pain of a tryst gone sour.
“Meanwhile, The Bootstrap Boys go retro with their cover of “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky.” “Meanwhile, The Bootstrap Boys go retro with their cover of “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky.” “Door Won’t Close” is an instant classic from Ana Egge, highlighting the piercing clarity of her voice and songwriting. John Rodney continues to show himself to be a strong new voice in queer country with “How Many Of Us?” Finally, Austin’s Julie Nolen tipped me off to Brooke Graham, whose rendition of “Hello Texas” is new to me and does the state justice.
Keep the queer country flowing when you contribute to the Rainbow Rodeo fundraiser today!