Country Everywhere Catchup Vol 1
Bringing you Weekly BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and Disabled Country Music News,
New Releases and resources.
This Week
- New Releases from :andCJ Lawrence,andKaia Kater,andThe Swains,andWilli Carlisle,andElton John, Brandi Carlile,andThe War And Treaty,andDwayne Jarrell and the Truer Sound,andAmiss Tory,
- News and Articles from :andRolling Stone,andThe Bluegrass Situation,andRainbow Rodeo,
- Featured Profile :Brian Falduto
- Featured Resource :Rainbow Rodeo
Featured Profile
Brian Falduto
Selected as “one of the 20 most influential, outspoken, and optimistic individuals on the planet” by PrideLife Magazine, Brian Falduto came into prominence after playing the role of Billy, nicknamed Fancy Pants by Jack Black in the cult classic film School of Rock. Now as an adult, he's transformed into a bonafide gay country artist destined for superstardom. His participation in School of Rock had a major impact on his coming of age having been so publicly visible as different but yet too young to come to terms with his sexuality. “My story is one of what happens when we try to label something we don’t understand in order to avoid our own discomfort,” says Brian, a now-out-and-proud LGBTQ advocate. He has traveled the country performing and speaking at Pride events, sharing himself vulnerably and offering hope to countless young people. Brian penned a pivotal essay about his journey in The Advocate and shared his lessons in a viral video for NowThis. Brian shook TikTok this past summer with the release of "Same Old Country Love Song,” an LGBTQ+ country music anthem for those previously left out by country music. The song was greeted with a flood of positive encouragement & excitement, as well as numerous viral video responses of fans celebrating, singing, & dancing along. It acts as the lead single for Brian's debut album Gay Country out March 10, 2023 featuring songs like "Hottest Guy Here", "Big Boys Club", and "Skip the Step."
Latest News
Shaboozey Deserves More Than What the CMA Awards Gave Him. Including an Apology
Shaboozey was on a high coming into the 2024 CMA Awards, having received two nods in his debut year as a nominee and a performance slot to showcase a mix of his breakthrough hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and his recent single “Highway.” But what should have been a night of celebrating country — a genre in which the 29-year-old musician has been a history-making force for the duration of the year — was plagued by microaggressions being played off as jokes.
Amythyst Kiah's New Album, 'Still + Bright,' Destined for Many Best-of-Year Lists
Singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah enjoys ignoring conventional wisdom and challenging notions she considers at best outdated and at worse reactionary and restrictive, regarding what music she should choose or what subjects she should address as an artist. But at the same time, she has never wanted anyone to label or pigeonhole her approach. Since 2010, Kiah has been steadily touring and recording, both solo and with other artists whose music also cuts across multiple thematic and idiomatic boundaries.
Seán Barna Turns to Bluegrass on Internal Trembling
Seán Barna is no stranger to queer nightlife, but it’s the peaceful time he spent living in and visiting the most remote and beautiful areas of rural western Colorado that animates the heart of his upcoming folk EP, Internal Trembling. Recorded at the legendary Blackbird Studio in Nashville, four of the five songs feature the Nashville-based, traditional bluegrass supergroup, Hawktail. A fifth song, “firefly,” is a collaboration between Seàn and Brooklyn-based producer, Kyle Joseph. The result is emotional, driving folk-pop, with a slow, relentless build.
Featured Resource
Rainbow Rodeo
Rainbow Rodeo is YOUR queer country site, featuring art, essays, podcasts, interviews, and stories curated by the community, for the community. The articles are collected into a physical zine twice a year.