Queer Country

Queer Country is a 2022 book that explores the contributions of queer and transgender country and Americana artists, who have often been overlooked by the mainstream music industry. The book combines ethnographic research with analysis and history to provide the first in-depth study of these artists and their work. It highlights well-known lesbian artists like k.d. lang and Amy Ray, as well as singer-songwriter Patrick Haggerty, who found fame forty years after releasing the first out gay country album. The book also focuses on later figures like nonbinary transgender musician Rae Spoon and renowned drag queen country artist Trixie Mattel, as well as recent breakthrough artists like Orville Peck, Amythyst Kiah, and Lil Nas X. Queer Country reinterprets country and Americana music through the lives and work of artists who have been forced to the margins of the genre's history, cultivating new audiences eager to connect with their expansive music and personal identities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 07 March 2022
Publisher: University of Illinois Press

Queer Country: The First In-Depth Study of Queer and Transgender Musicians

Queer Country, a groundbreaking book by Shana Goldin-Perschbacher, delves into the lives and work of queer and transgender country and Americana artists, who have often been overlooked by the mainstream music industry. Through ethnographic research and analysis, Goldin-Perschbacher provides the first in-depth study of these artists and their contributions to the genre.

The book explores the careers of well-known lesbian artists like k.d. lang and Amy Ray, as well as the unlikely success of singer-songwriter Patrick Haggerty, who released the first out gay country album forty years ago. Goldin-Perschbacher also focuses on later figures like nonbinary transgender musician Rae Spoon and renowned drag queen country artist Trixie Mattel, as well as recent breakthrough artists like Orville Peck, Amythyst Kiah, and Grammy-winning phenomenon Lil Nas X.

What sets Queer Country apart is its detailed and one-of-a-kind approach to reinterpreting country and Americana music through the lives and work of artists who have been forced to the margins of the genre. Goldin-Perschbacher delves into the complexities of gender and sexuality, as well as how these factors have impacted the careers of these artists. She also highlights the ongoing efforts of these musicians to cultivate new audiences eager to connect with their expansive music and personal identities.

Through its compelling storytelling and insightful analysis, Queer Country offers a fresh perspective on country and Americana music, challenging the traditional narratives and stereotypes associated with the genre. It is a must-read for anyone interested in music, LGBTQ+ culture, and the history of marginalized communities.

Awarded a Certificate of Merit in the 2023 ARSC Awards for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research in the category Best Historical Research in Country, Folk, Roots, or World Music, Queer Country is a testament to the importance of recognizing and celebrating the contributions of queer and transgender artists to the world of music.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780252086335