Country Queer

Country Queer
Type of site
Online magazine
Available inEnglish
Founded2019
Country of originUnited States
OwnerCQ Media LLC
Founder(s)Dale Henry Geist
EditorLilli Lewis
URLcountryqueer.com
LaunchedSeptember 2019; 4 years ago (September 2019)
Current statusActive

Country Queer is an online music magazine that focuses on LGBTQ+ musical artists in Country and Americana music.[1]

History

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Country Queer was founded by former No Depression staffer Dale Henry Geist.[2] The publication launched in September 2019.[3] Geist founded Country Queer in response to what he described as a noticeable absence of queer people in the music media he consumed, particularly in Country and Americana music.[4] In describing how the publication began, Geist wrote:[5]

I logged into GoDaddy and pointed the countryqueer.com domain to the WordPress site that had been Strange Fire. Back when I had a job, and more money than time, I’d bought the site from Cindy Emch, who had inherited it from its founder, Kevin James Thornton. I kept Cindy on as Editor-In-Chief, replaced the Strange Fire logo with ours, and we went to town.

— Dale Henry Geist, One Year of Country Queer: Greatest Hits

Shortly after its launch, folk rock singer-songwriter Aaron Lee Tasjan began following the publication on social media, and LGBTQ+ Country singer-songwriters Orville Peck and Brandy Clark agreed to interviews with Country Queer.[4]

At its launch, Oakland musician Cindy Emch served as Country Queer's first editor-in-chief.[6][7] A year later, Emch left the position to focus on her music.[7] Geist assumed the role of editor-in-chief and led an editorial team that included Americana LGBTQ+ singer-songwriters Adeem the Artist (Editor) and Mya Byrne (Staff Writer), as well as Sydney Miller (Associate Editor), Rachel Cholst (Editor and Podcast Producer), Eryn Brothers (Staff Writer), and James Barker (Staff Writer).[8]

In October 2020, Country Queer began publishing a bi-weekly column by editors Adeem the Artist and Annie Parnell entitled "Buried Treasure".[9] The column focused on a selection of new releases by lesser known LGBTQ+ musical artists whom Country Queer described as "important but under-heard voices in queer country."[9] Notable artists who have been featured in the column include Adrianne Lenker,[10] Becca Mancari,[11] Big Thief,[12] Chris Housman,[13] Ginger Minj,[14] Girlpuppy,[15] John-Allison Weiss,[16] Meg Duffy,[17] Terry Blade,[18] and Waylon Payne.[19]

On December 29, 2020, Country Queer launched a directory consisting of Country and Americana musical artists who publicly identify as LGBTQ+.[20] On February 10, 2021, BillBoard reported that the publication had grown to 13,500 monthly visitors in January 2021–a 67% increase from December 2020.[20] In September 2021, Country Queer presented a Rainbow Happy Hour showcase at the 2021 Americana Music Festival & Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.[1] The showcase featured artists Jett Holden, Izzy Heltai, Joy Clark, Lilli Lewis, Lizzy No, Mya Byrne, Paisley Fields, and The Whitmore Sisters.[1]

In November 2021, Lilli Lewis accepted an invitation to be Country Queer's interim editor-in-chief.[21] Notable artists who have interviewed with Country Queer include Aaron Lee Tasjan,[22] Amythyst Kiah,[23] Brandy Clark,[24] Jake Blount,[25] Kattie Pruit,[26] Ryan Cassata,[27] and Terry Blade.[28]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Lind, Lonnie Lee and J. R. (2021-09-24). "Country Queer's Showcase Inspires, Brittney Spencer & Co. Invigorate". Nashville Scene. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
  2. ^ Chandler, Stacy (2021-05-28). "BONUS TRACKS: Honoring What John Prine and Levon Helm Gave Us, and Celebrating LGBTQ+ Music and History". No Depression. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
  3. ^ Hurt, Edd (2021-02-04). "Untangling Queer Country's Many Connections to Country Music". Nashville Scene. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
  4. ^ a b Amable, Jody (2021-04-06). "Country Queer Documents the Genre's Shift to LGBTQ+ Inclusivity | KQED". KQED. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
  5. ^ Geist, Dale Henry (2020-09-10). "One Year of Country Queer: Greatest Hits • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-22.
  6. ^ "About - Country Queer". Wayback Machine. 2019-09-30. Archived from the original on 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2024-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ a b "To Country Queer, With All My Love • Country Queer". Wayback Machine. 2020-10-27. Archived from the original on 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2024-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ "About • Country Queer". Wayback Machine. 2020-10-19. Archived from the original on 2020-10-19. Retrieved 2024-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  9. ^ a b "Buried Treasure: Our Pick of Under-heard Artists • Country Queer". Wayback Machine. 2020-10-27. Archived from the original on 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2024-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. ^ Parnell, Annie (2021-08-21). "Buried Treasure, August 21 • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  11. ^ Parnell, Annie (2021-08-29). "Buried Treasure, August 29 Buried Treasure • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  12. ^ Parnell, Annie (2021-08-21). "Buried Treasure, August 21 • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  13. ^ Bingham, Adeem (2020-09-11). "Buried Treasure, September 11 • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  14. ^ Parnell, Annie (2021-09-04). "Buried Treasure, September 4 • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  15. ^ Parnell, Annie (2021-07-03). "Buried Treasure, July 3 • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  16. ^ Bingham, Adeem (2021-08-14). "Buried Treasure, August 14 • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  17. ^ Parnell, Annie (2021-09-18). "Buried Treasure, September 18 • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  18. ^ Bingham, Adeem (2021-04-02). "Buried Treasure, April 2 • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  19. ^ Parnell, Annie (2021-10-16). "Buried Treasure, October 16 • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  20. ^ a b Roland, Tom (2021-02-10). "Country Queer Publisher On T.J. Osborne, Morgan Wallen & Moving the Genre Forward". Billboard (magazine). Retrieved 2024-08-22.
  21. ^ "Statement from Interim Editor-In-Chief • Country Queer". Wayback Machine. 2021-11-15. Archived from the original on 2021-11-15. Retrieved 2024-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  22. ^ Geist, Dale Henry (2021-02-17). "Episode 6: Aaron Lee Tasjan Plants His Flag • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-22.
  23. ^ Geist, Dale Henry (2020-09-21). "Amythyst Kiah Stars in Episode 2 of Our Podcast • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-22.
  24. ^ Geist, Dale Henry (2020-08-25). "Brandy Clark Gets Personal • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-22.
  25. ^ Geist, Dale Henry (2021-04-07). "Episode 8: Jake Blount Reclaims "Old-Time" As Black, Queer Art • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-22.
  26. ^ Geist, Dale Henry (2020-10-21). "Episode 3 of Our Podcast Features Katie Pruitt • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-22.
  27. ^ Emch, Cindy (2018-11-08). "QueerCuts: Ryan Cassata at the SF Transgender Film Festival! • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-22.
  28. ^ Treacy, Christopher (2023-01-05). "Q&A With Terry Blade • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
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