I'm excited to introduce you to Beau Wheeler. Beau's latest album, Flying Colours, reveals a huge generosity of spirit. They wrote these songs while they were undergoing cancer treatment -- and coming out as non-binary. We also discuss hacking it in the Canadian indie rock scene -- and, for Patreon subscribers, just what they would risk to go see Mavis Staples.   Read my review of Flying Colours on Rainbow Rodeo! Subscribe to the Rainbow Rodeo Patreon! Never miss an update with the Rainbow Rodeo newsletter! Advertise on Rainbow Rodeo!

Hey there, cowpokes, and happy Pride! We are in a real treat this month with our conversation with Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, old time music legends. In our interview, Cathy and Marcy said they haven't done much -- but they're just being modest. They have performed with Pete Seeger, Theodore Bikel, Tom Paxton, Patsy Montana, Riders in the Sky, and a wide range of musical luminaries. They have entertained the Queen of Thailand, been keynote singers for the AFL-CIO, appeared on the “Today Show” and on National Public Radio. Cathy & Marcy earned GRAMMY Awards for their recordings “cELLAbration: a Tribute to Ella Jenkins”, and “Bon Appétit!: Musical Food Fun”. Their CD’s “Postcards” and “Banjo Talkin’” were GRAMMY Fnalists in the Best Traditional Folk Album category. Since we discuss it later in the episode, we'll kick things off with the song they co-wrote with Tom Paxton, "Don't Say Gay."  "Don't Say Gay" Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpjme3usL-0 Subscribe to the Rainbow Rodeo Patreon to get your copy of Rainbow Rodeo Issue 3 and more swag! Listen to Rachel this month on Sirius XM's Country Pride -- Channel 105 Advertise on Rainbow Rodeo!

Get to know Mya Byrne now, because she is going to become a household name. Her newest album, Rhinestone Tomboy, is out now on Kill Rock Stars Records. KRS is the legendary riot grrl record label, and Rhinestone Tomboy is the first record off its brand new Nashville imprint.   As I wrote in my profile in the Nashville Scene, that's not the only first for this project: the video for "It Don't Fade" features a kiss shared between Mya and her partner, songwriter Swan Real. When the video was broadcast on CMT, it made them the first known transfemme kiss on broadcast TV. When the pair repeated their performance at the Love Rising Concert in Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, they became what is almost certainly the first openly transfemme couple to do so.   Learn more about Brooklyn Transcore here.   Learn more about Nashville Transcore here.   Support Rainbow Rodeo when you subscribe for as little as $4 a year.   You can also advertise on the podcast for a mere $15.

Hey, cowpokes! This week I joined queer baseball podcast Batting Around to speak with Bryan Ruby. Bryan is the first professional baseball player to come out while actively playing. Now that he's getting ready to hang up his cleats, he's picking up his guitar and kick-starting his country music career! This episode goes more into his time in baseball and being queer in the sport, though of course we talk music, too. Bryan's career is fascinating, and a great look at the sport for the vast majority of its fans and players -- those who operate outside of the MLB and the US in general. Also, I made a playlist of the music Bryan and I reference here. Learn more about Bryan here. Learn more about Batting Around here and subscribe on your favorite app! And, of course, you can support Rainbow Rodeo here.

Howdy, cowpokes! This month I speak with Zoe Boekbinder about their recent songs, "Cut My Heart In Two," and "I Am Yesterday." Both of these songs were produced by Gracie and Rachel, whom I interviewed on my previous podcast, Adobe and Teardrops.   Zoe Boekbinder is a veteran, singer songwriter, born in Canada and raised in a string of Buddhist communities on the West coast they have a unique outlook on life. Their latest album Shadow was self-produced and released in November of 2018, but as we'll hear, Zoe has more music on the way.   From May, 2010 to December, 2014, Zoe volunteered as a performer and teacher at New Folsom Prison. This music culminated in the album long time gone by the Prison Music Project. In our interview, we talk about the backstory behind the song "I Am Yesterday," confrontation within community, its relation to incarceration, and what really defines queer country music.   Zoe's pup makes a special appearance as well, but first, I want to thank the following new Patreon subscribers. Welcome, Michelle, Elliot, Lori Beth, and Claude! You too can support Rainbow Rodeo when you subscribe for as little as $4 a year.   You can also advertise on the podcast for a mere $15.   SONG LIST   "Cut My Heart in Two" -- Zoe Boekbinder (2:18) "I Am Yesterday" -- Zoe Boekbinder (9:23) "Long Time Gone" -- Prison Music Project (ft. Princess Shaw and Zoe Boekbinder) (19:55) "Haunted" -- Zoe Boekbinder (31:42)

Howdy, cowpokes! Thanks to an audio snafu, this month's interview did not go as planned but that means I get to LARP as an NPR DJ! This month's episode reviews the fantastic queer country releases from February, as well as a preview of what's to come this spring. Sunny War, Anarchist Gospel, “Swear to Gawd” John-Allison Weiss, The Long Way, “Different Now” Terry Blade, Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper, “Won’t Be Around” Jaimee Harris, Boomerang Town, “Good Morning, My Love” Izzy Heltai, “Running Out” (Single) Tina and Her Pony “Beautiful Mess” (Marigolds) Tami Hart, “Thanks For Saying Hi” (Thanks For Saying Hi)  You can subscribe to the weekly newsletter here!   Advertise on Rainbow Rodeo for a mere $10! Details here.   Hate ads? Support Rainbow Rodeo on Patreon for as little as $2 a year!

I interviewed Canadian alt-country singer Mariel Buckley back in August. And you can tell this was a few months ago because we talked a little baseball -- little did we know how badly the Blue Jays would implode.   Buckley's album Everywhere I Used To Be is a distinct departure from Buckley's acclaimed Driving in the Dark. The sound is more spare, more melancholy. We dig into that as well as Mariel's experiences with extended vocal rest, gender identity, and growing up queer in a small town. Since we mention it, you can read my review of the album in No Depression here.   Support queer media and subscribe to our Patreon!   Keep up with Rainbow Rodeo with our free weekly newsletter!

Hey, there, cowpokes. It's episode 8 of Rainbow Rodeo and I'm speaking with Adeem the Artist.   We spoke two days after the release of their breakout album White Trash Revelry. This episode is a little odd because we were both in kind of weird headspaces and spent a looong time talking about the music industry and how Adeem feels about hitting their stride. Adeem really lays out, step-by-step, how they got to where they are now. I left most of that in the cut for the Patreon version -- which you can listen to for a mere $4 a year!   To learn more about Adeem's story, you can find our June 2021 interview on my previous podcast, Adobe & Teardrops.   As a reminder, you can keep up with your favorite queer country artists by subscribing to the weekly Rainbow Rodeo newsletter!   SONG LIST   "For Judas" -- Adeem the Artist (1:38) "Books and Records" -- Adeem the Artist (21:25) "Heritage of Arrogance" -- Adeem the Artist (43:07) "Take Me to the Water Prayer" -- Jake Blount (49:49) "Going to Hell" -- Adeem the Artist (53:25)  

Hi, everyone. I'm popping in with a sort of mini-sode here. Patrick Haggerty, the lead singer and songwritier of Lavender Country, passed away on Halloween. I meant to post this shortly after his death, but between my midterms and the holidays, I just didn't get around to it. The real reason, though, is once I post this, well...then it means he's really gone.   We recorded this interview in 2018 when I was writing my first major article ever. This was only the second or third time I'd interviewed someone I didn't know personal and I think you can hear my discomfort. The setting was Branded Saloon, home of Karen Pittelman's Queer Country series. Patrick, James Wilson of Paisley Fields, Barbara Endes of Girls on Grass, had just come from a rehearsal space around the corner and were doing soundcheck before the show. I mention Karen and Patrick mentions James, who now goes by Paisley. You can hear some of that soundcheck going on in the background as I recorded this directly to soundcloud with a Chromebook, yet the sound quality is better than this intro. Figure that one out.   I think this interview shows Patrick's complexity. He was really, really, REALLY good at talking himself up. He had a LOT of anger and intensity stored up. In my opinion, some of his statements here are a bit grandiose but, at the same time, they're right on the money. After this, Patrick and I became friends and he was insistent that my wife and I come visit him on his ranch; that never happened.   Hit the subscribe button for next week's interview with one of Patrick's spiritual successors, Adeem the Artist.   Patrick Haggerty obituary in The Boot Wide Open Country article Subscribe to the Rainbow Rodeo newsletter!

Hey there, cowpokes! I just got hitched, which meant I got a liiiittle behind working on the podcast. But, I think this interview with Violet Bell is well worth the white. The North Carolina duo, consisting of Lizzy Ross and Omar Ruiz-Lopez, just released their gorgeous new album, Shapeshifter. The album retells the ancient story of the selkie from many perspectives. Not only is the album beautiful musically, but Violet Bell use the story to make connections to dysphoria, power, imperialism, and liberation -- all from an old fisherman's tale.   The bad news is the duo got COVID right after when the album was released, but the good news is you still have time to see their rescheduled album release show in December, so check out their website to find out where you can catch them.   Support Rainbow Rodeo by joining the Patreon, and get early access to the podcast for as little as $4 a year!   SONG   "All The Stars" -- Violet Bell (1:35) "Mi Gente" -- Hector Lavoe and the Fania All Stars (16:03) "Fisherman's Daughter" -- Violet Bell (20:32) "I Am a Wolf" -- Violet Bell (34:53) "Free Leonard Peltier" -- Joe Troop (50:54) "Mortal Like Me" -- Violet Bell (56:40)