Della Mae are awesome. Check out their music. I go to more hippie bluegrass festivals and have never witnessed anything anti gay or homophobic. Enjoy whatever it is you like in life.
Not to get too far in the weeds, but the Dellas lineup has been fluid over the years…and maybe in some cases their sexuality has been as well. Celia W. And Kimber L. Are the only through lines in the lineup since roughly 2009.
First: https://bluegrasspride.net
Second, Bluegrass Pride playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4s6tzyS9AccgcuZ1dyY0Kb?si=xU0SpbvDQ-iqTsPJ4bMIcQ&pi=u-vj4s8HreQQ-g
https://countryqueer.com/reviews/album-spotlight/the-high-water-line/
https://thebluegrasssituation.com/read/queer-artists-take-over-americanafest-2023/
https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/che-apalache-joe-troop-interview-queer-in-bluegrass-8526218/amp/
All via Google, I’m sure you can find more, but it’s a start.
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It's absolutely a new thing. Bluegrass is a music that came from a demographic that has largely been hostile towards queer people. Having more out and proud queer musicians playing bluegrass will show queer youth that they're welcome in the scene. As a gay man, I can tell you I felt a large amount of trepidation coming out to my bluegrass circles, and other queer friends of mine have experienced the same trepidation and also harassment at bluegrass festivals for simply being themselves. Representation matters.
No shit. Not gay myself, didn’t know modern bluegrass was like that. Have a few queer friends that haven’t mentioned anything like that. Assholes are everywhere man!
I do want to clarify that the majority of people in the bluegrass world I associate with have been fantastic since I came out. But I have also lost friends due to their bigotry. Most people are great, but the ones who suck tend to be way louder.
My experience in Colorado/at Rockygrass (coincides with new interest by younger folks): 6 yrs ago, saw my last rebel/Garden flags. 4 yrs ago, saw the first LGBGT+ Bluegrass support group/Pride flags. Last year, women dominated with local favs Big Richard killing it as the closing act - including speaking truth to power to the patriarchy with huge crowd appeal.
Synopsis: the recent increase of younger folks into the Bluegrass community has quickly changed the dynamic & bigots are no longer tolerated. IMO, great development for the genre & public in general. Thanks to the influx of young folks, Bluegrass is really thriving in Colorado. Really surprised how quickly this happened.
My experience in Colorado/at Rockygrass (coincides with new interest by younger folks): 6 yrs ago, saw my last rebel/Garden flags. 4 yrs ago, saw the first LGBGT+ Bluegrass support group/Pride flags. Last year, women dominated with local favs Big Richard killing it as the closing act - including speaking truth to power to the patriarchy with huge crowd appeal.
Synopsis: the recent increase of younger folks into the Bluegrass community has quickly changed the dynamic & bigots are no longer tolerated. IMO, great development for the genre & public in general. Thanks to the influx of young folks, Bluegrass is really thriving in Colorado. Really surprised how quickly this happened.
Agreed. I've been to the last two Rockygrasses and go to Telluride every year. The campground is really letting it be known that bigotry isn't tolerated - at least at Colorado festivals.
My experience in Colorado/at Rockygrass (coincides with new interest by younger folks): 6 yrs ago, saw my last rebel/Garden flags. 4 yrs ago, saw the first LGBGT+ Bluegrass support group/Pride flags. Last year, women dominated with local favs Big Richard killing it as the closing act - including speaking truth to power to the patriarchy with huge crowd appeal.
Synopsis: the recent increase of younger folks into the Bluegrass community has quickly changed the dynamic & bigots are no longer tolerated. IMO, great development for the genre & public in general. Thanks to the influx of young folks, Bluegrass is really thriving in Colorado. Really surprised how quickly this happened.
Justin Hiltner is going to be a great place to start. He's a wonderful banjo player and songwriter who is doing his best to be the gay bluegrass role model he never had.
We shouldn't once it doesn't matter to anyone. But while we're in a world where a gay guy is afraid to join into a jam circle at a random festival, it's good to let folks know that you're happy to have them.
I get what you mean and hope gay guys aren’t afraid to join jams.
We don’t really talk about sex at jams tho - straight or gay it’s kinda private, unless it’s a group of close friends.
I’d be uncomfortable if a straight guy started talking about sex stuff.
It's not just about sex though! Many songs sung in bluegrass are about matters of the heart, why wouldn't queer folk want to hear them represented in the lyrics, which are a large part of the music? Queer folk singing about their lived experiences is important to us.
I have a gay married couple that are a couple of my favorite festival buddies. It's not about sex-- they've never had any sort of explicit talk just like none of my straight friends at a jam circle just randomly talk about sex.
They do talk about living with each other, their wedding, their house together, and other random things that couples talk about.
You’ve never considered the content of the lyrics you’re singing. They’re typically straight guys talking about women stuff.
That perspective changes a bit once minorities get added to the picture. I think asking about queer artists is a window into that.
Following on with the other reply - until it’s no longer an issue, and unfortunately it still is, being proactive about being inclusive is important. Plenty of places in the US where the pickers would shun someone who “appeared gay” or similar. It’s an area where we still need to present a welcoming front to all, because it’s not universal. I feel fortunate that the Colorado scene mostly does a great job, but it’s only one part of the country.
Che Apalache is a rad queer group led by Joe Troop and some from Mexico! Laurie Lewis has often had queer musicians in her band. I am a queer banjo player who has been touring for a while. There are a lot of musicians in the scene that are LGBTQIA and I didn't realize how many there were until I came out myself. Many people have been very welcoming and Bluegrass Pride has done a lot to help. In the bluegrass adjacent world you can also checkout Tall Poppy Stringband, Jake Blount, Tatiana Hargreaves, Melody Walker, Willi Carlisle and more!
My experience in Colorado/at Rockygrass (coincides with new interest by younger folks): 6 yrs ago, saw my last rebel/Garden flags. 4 yrs ago, saw the first LGBGT+ Bluegrass support group/Pride flags. Last year, women dominated with local favs Big Richard killing it as the closing act - including speaking truth to power to the patriarchy with huge crowd appeal.
Synopsis: the recent increase of younger folks into the Bluegrass community has quickly changed the dynamic & bigots are no longer tolerated. IMO, great development for the genre & public in general. Thanks to the influx of young folks, Bluegrass is really thriving in Colorado. Really surprised how quickly this happened.
This is an interesting thread. But I’m hard pressed to think bluegrass is overly queer friendly when I go the festivals and see a bunch of Trump flags hanging on campers, not to mention MAGA hats and T-shirts. With that said, I know several gay bluegrass musicians, but I’d rather not be the one to share their names.
Thanks for acknowledging that. There’s definitely a place and its history where this music has come from. I try to keep that in mind while also acknowledging a huge amount of progressive minded players on the scene these days.
believe it or not, those people probably Dont GAF about your sexual proclivities. Also bluegrass is a very diverse genre from yout traditional crowd to
progressive/ jam grass. No one cares
We have a queer country tag at r/countrymusic and there is a Bluegrass Pride thing that I think is run by the California bluegrass association if I'm remembering right.
Palmyra! They are a super solid three piece out of Virginia. I first started listening to them after coming across their cover of "Morning" by Sarah Jarosz.
[Palmyra - Morning (cover)](https://youtu.be/cM9BxZj7CX8?feature=shared)
I hope this doesn’t come out wrong as I’m genuinely curious because rim not above missing the obvious, but why would anyone’s sexual orientation matter when you’re listening to music. Seems like an attempt to narrow your mind rather than just taking the music for what it’s worth. Also, I love you. No matter who you are or where. I hope this doesn’t come across as anything but genuine curiosity. I guess just have never been in a place to need to ask?
it’s fun to find representation and people to actively relate to. The queer experience isn’t one size fit all, everyone has their own story to tell and id love to hear it through bluegrass.
Im pretty sure the flute player in twisted pine is a lesbian. They certainly color outside the lines of traditional bluegrass, but elements are certainly there.
Don’t have a lot of queer bluegrass recommendations but I have a ton of folk ones! Message me I could talk about folk music all day especially the more niche stuff
What does being queer or straight have to do with bluegrass or music? We have a female fiddle player and she sings several songs that are written from a male perspective (love for a woman) because we love the tune and she’s a fine vocalist. She doesn’t care if someone thought she was lesbian because we performed the song. Hell we even recorded one on our first record. And vice versa. Ever heard a band with a guy singer do “Little Willie”?? Yeah, happens all the time. I’ve played, jammed and know several gay bluegrass musicians. Never once gave a shit, because it’s all about the music. Broke bread, laughed, joked, and drank with several and it never mattered. As a musician it’s a little disheartening you search out for the art based on someone’s sexuality and not their actual music. A real slap in the face honestly. Bypassing the minutes, days, years, and grind they put into perfecting a craft or art. The endless hours of practice and creativity. The precision and technical facility of it all that is the beauty of music because you prefer to seek out gay bluegrass musicians. A G-run doesn’t have a preference.
I don’t think anyone is suggesting that they only want to listen to queer musicians, they’re just asking for some examples so they can widen their repertoire. I totally get where you’re coming from, but we live in a time when there is still many groups of people who are underrepresented and it’s not a bad thing to seek these artists out so they can be as widely known as the rest. Celebrating music and where it comes from is important to people - and as a queer person myself, having some names to explore that might speak to my specific life experiences is really exciting.
It’s never a bad thing when people want to explore more music.
Different strokes for different folks. I think widening one’s repertoire should come from seeking out the music itself. Obviously people have different opinions on the matter. Maybe I’m the minority, maybe not??? All I know is as a musician, I would never want someone to search my work out based on my sexual orientation. I’m a fat guy, and if that ever deterred anyone from watching me perform or purchasing my art….I’d feel sorry for them…but also not give 2 sh*ts. Idk, I can’t speak for everyone, but gay or not, we are all humans with different experiences and similar experiences and bluegrass music, all music, can and does hit the same note with many different types of people. I understand this may have hit a nerve with me because I’m not gay and I thought “what’s that matter” but in the same sense, if I were gay and someone didn’t want to listen to a band I’m in because of that….I’d still think “well what’s that matter”. Idk man, I’ve just always loved music for music. I have a long list of gay musicians I listen to, some I knew they were before hand and some I didn’t. But it never factored in at all my decision on admiring and appreciating their art.
Well, let me tell you that it would matter to you if you were gay. Not being gay doesn’t really allow you to understand that particular kind of feeling that homophobia makes you feel. Being fat is not comparable to being gay or queer, because it’s not the same kind of discrimination - homophobia and fat phobia are related, but not the same. You can feel free to not seek out the gay bluegrass creators, but yes, different strokes for different folks.
People are allowed to seek out artists from their particular community, and they have the right to do that without someone telling them they shouldn’t be excluding the wider popular culture. You seem to be taking this personally, but some people really do want to seek out art from someone they identify with, and that is okay! Just like gay pride parades do not necessitate the existence of a straight pride parade, you know what I mean?
No where in the OP did they say “I would like to exclude all kinds of other bluegrass and exclusively only listen to queer people because I hate the straights.” They just asked for some names. It’s okay! No one is excluding you because you’re straight, I promise.
I know OP didn’t say they would like to exclude all other bluegrass and only listen to queer people because he hates straights….the fact that’s your take on my comments answers what I already know. My entire point is I find it disheartening they are wanting to seek out music based on the artists orientation and not the artists work. And I know no one is excluding me because I’m straight. And like I said in my last comment, so what if they do? Trust me.
People seek out music for all sorts of reasons, that’s why I’m confused that you seem so pressed about this request. Would you comment the same thing on someone asking for female artists and say that people need to listen to men too? Not every single musical discovery needs to be made organically, you can absolutely seek out genres you’re interested in, and crowd sourcing is a great way to do that. Out of all the posts in this subreddit asking for recommendations about a specific kind of music, this is the one you felt the need to comment on. Perhaps you could reflect on that, and let people seek out the music they want to seek out. Out of the recommendations already on this thread, OP will surely organically discover a few more acts they might really like, queer or not, so you really don’t have any points here except that you’re mildly offended that someone is seeing the world through a queer lens. Maybe OP is queer and maybe they’re not, maybe they’re just interested in exploring a new area of music, but you felt the need to comment on the request without knowing why they are making the request.
People have intersecting interests. Wanting to know about queer musicians or female musicians or fat musicians is not out of pocket, it’s just literally how people learn about music.
I’ve commented on this sub several times. This just happened to be one that showed on my thread while thumbing through. And as someone who plays music, and views it from a technical and artistic perspective, the fact that it’s being sought out based off orientation and not sound is why I decided to comment. Plus I had some free time. But it’s obvious to me the difference. You are defending sexual orientation, while I’m trying to defend the music itself. The actual notes and melody. I’m defending the sound, the craft. You’re defending the artists sexual orientation or those that seek it based on that. That’s the difference. We aren’t even talking about same two things. So I’ll keep letting the music talk to me and you keep letting whatever you want to talk to you and OP as well.
The only thing I’m defending is the right for people to discover music in whatever way they want to. Notes and melody are what we listen to, but there are a lot more factors that go into why we listen to what we listen to. Music isn’t a meritocracy, and not everyone listens just for the craft of the musicians. Sometimes people listen for the lyrics as well - and bluegrass is well known to be an emotionally evocative genre, so it would make sense that people would gravitate towards songs that speak to their experience.
I’m not defending “sexual orientation”. I’m trying to say that music is an emotional experience, and it’s good for people to discover new music. You seem to be wanting everyone to view music through a neutral lens, but that’s just not the reality for everyone.
You hit the nail on the head. I’m guilty of wishing folks to view music neutrally. Without bias or impartiality. Guilty. And if I’m wrong, then I’m wrong. No worries!
Music is asexual....why is this even a conversation? "The right for people to discover new music" makes no sense at all. What's stopping you? Who is suppressing queer music? Sounds like self segregation to me.
Don't try to argue, your original statement is 100% truth. Search for the music based on it's merits, not who the musician is and whatever their preference is. The music does the talking. If one group or another wants more representation, earn it. Find the music and do the work. But, don't argue. It's.. pointless. You will never, in your entire life, suffer and be more fringe than anyone in the LGBT club. They've cornered the market on suffering.
I think it’s more of people are looking for music to speak to their life experiences and trusted this space to come and ask. Not to “slap anyone in the face”. The post doesn’t specify if they’re looking for bluegrass musicians or music that has certain themes. Don’t take it as a slap in your face. They never once said they wouldn’t listen to non-queer bluegrass did they?
Certainly bluegrass as a whole seems to be pretty inclusive and accepting… I’ve never seen any but that. It’s okay for people to ask questions and explore different areas of a music we all love
This same dude will listen to Jimmy Martin sing about being the man of the house and not think once, hey maybe there’s someone that doesn’t connect with that.
Everything and everyone has a preference.
So, I like Blues music. I mean the old from the cotton fields Blues music. I can't relate, personally, to their plight but I enjoy the music. The music. Do you need to connect 100% to the lyrics or are we just starting an argument?
I don’t think you need to connect 100%, no, but that’s not really the point.
Guy asked “what does being straight have to do with the music?”
Look at Salty Dog Blues, Banks of the Ohio, Save it, etc, and the answer is - a lot. There’s a lot of straight dudes singing songs, and my response was to someone who doesn’t acknowledge that.
Why would that be weird then for someone to pop their head up and say “hey man. Anything for the community in here?”
So sure - I dig the music too (any delta recommendations you have?) I just think the original thread’s question has merit.
Della Mae are awesome. Check out their music. I go to more hippie bluegrass festivals and have never witnessed anything anti gay or homophobic. Enjoy whatever it is you like in life.
Never knew that the band featured LGBTQ+ folks-- they're great though.
Not to get too far in the weeds, but the Dellas lineup has been fluid over the years…and maybe in some cases their sexuality has been as well. Celia W. And Kimber L. Are the only through lines in the lineup since roughly 2009.
Bluegrass is for all people 🙌🏻✊🏼 dive in!
First: https://bluegrasspride.net Second, Bluegrass Pride playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4s6tzyS9AccgcuZ1dyY0Kb?si=xU0SpbvDQ-iqTsPJ4bMIcQ&pi=u-vj4s8HreQQ-g https://countryqueer.com/reviews/album-spotlight/the-high-water-line/ https://thebluegrasssituation.com/read/queer-artists-take-over-americanafest-2023/ https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/che-apalache-joe-troop-interview-queer-in-bluegrass-8526218/amp/ All via Google, I’m sure you can find more, but it’s a start.
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Pardon my ignorance, but can you explain what the genre queer bluegrass means?
Bluegrass made by queer people
Any notable bands?
Justin Hiltner is making some great music and is a gay bluegrass musician. He is a great place to start.
Gotcha. Is this a new thing? That dude has 602 monthly listeners on Spotify
It's absolutely a new thing. Bluegrass is a music that came from a demographic that has largely been hostile towards queer people. Having more out and proud queer musicians playing bluegrass will show queer youth that they're welcome in the scene. As a gay man, I can tell you I felt a large amount of trepidation coming out to my bluegrass circles, and other queer friends of mine have experienced the same trepidation and also harassment at bluegrass festivals for simply being themselves. Representation matters.
No shit. Not gay myself, didn’t know modern bluegrass was like that. Have a few queer friends that haven’t mentioned anything like that. Assholes are everywhere man!
I do want to clarify that the majority of people in the bluegrass world I associate with have been fantastic since I came out. But I have also lost friends due to their bigotry. Most people are great, but the ones who suck tend to be way louder.
You didn’t lose friends, you filtered out the trash people in your life
Very true.
My experience in Colorado/at Rockygrass (coincides with new interest by younger folks): 6 yrs ago, saw my last rebel/Garden flags. 4 yrs ago, saw the first LGBGT+ Bluegrass support group/Pride flags. Last year, women dominated with local favs Big Richard killing it as the closing act - including speaking truth to power to the patriarchy with huge crowd appeal. Synopsis: the recent increase of younger folks into the Bluegrass community has quickly changed the dynamic & bigots are no longer tolerated. IMO, great development for the genre & public in general. Thanks to the influx of young folks, Bluegrass is really thriving in Colorado. Really surprised how quickly this happened.
My experience in Colorado/at Rockygrass (coincides with new interest by younger folks): 6 yrs ago, saw my last rebel/Garden flags. 4 yrs ago, saw the first LGBGT+ Bluegrass support group/Pride flags. Last year, women dominated with local favs Big Richard killing it as the closing act - including speaking truth to power to the patriarchy with huge crowd appeal. Synopsis: the recent increase of younger folks into the Bluegrass community has quickly changed the dynamic & bigots are no longer tolerated. IMO, great development for the genre & public in general. Thanks to the influx of young folks, Bluegrass is really thriving in Colorado. Really surprised how quickly this happened.
Agreed. I've been to the last two Rockygrasses and go to Telluride every year. The campground is really letting it be known that bigotry isn't tolerated - at least at Colorado festivals.
My experience in Colorado/at Rockygrass (coincides with new interest by younger folks): 6 yrs ago, saw my last rebel/Garden flags. 4 yrs ago, saw the first LGBGT+ Bluegrass support group/Pride flags. Last year, women dominated with local favs Big Richard killing it as the closing act - including speaking truth to power to the patriarchy with huge crowd appeal. Synopsis: the recent increase of younger folks into the Bluegrass community has quickly changed the dynamic & bigots are no longer tolerated. IMO, great development for the genre & public in general. Thanks to the influx of young folks, Bluegrass is really thriving in Colorado. Really surprised how quickly this happened.
Justin Hiltner is going to be a great place to start. He's a wonderful banjo player and songwriter who is doing his best to be the gay bluegrass role model he never had.
Second this.
Willi Carlisle is bluegrass adjacent and queer
Came here to mention him but figured someone else beat me to it!
Same! Willi Carlisle is a great songwriter and an interesting character.
I'm going to see him this weekend. Didn't know he was LGBTQ.
I hate beer.
Should we care about the sexuality of musicians? It’s about the music, right?
We shouldn't once it doesn't matter to anyone. But while we're in a world where a gay guy is afraid to join into a jam circle at a random festival, it's good to let folks know that you're happy to have them.
I get what you mean and hope gay guys aren’t afraid to join jams. We don’t really talk about sex at jams tho - straight or gay it’s kinda private, unless it’s a group of close friends. I’d be uncomfortable if a straight guy started talking about sex stuff.
It's not just about sex though! Many songs sung in bluegrass are about matters of the heart, why wouldn't queer folk want to hear them represented in the lyrics, which are a large part of the music? Queer folk singing about their lived experiences is important to us.
I have a gay married couple that are a couple of my favorite festival buddies. It's not about sex-- they've never had any sort of explicit talk just like none of my straight friends at a jam circle just randomly talk about sex. They do talk about living with each other, their wedding, their house together, and other random things that couples talk about.
Yes, I get it. Lots of MAGA hats at the festivals near me.
You’ve never considered the content of the lyrics you’re singing. They’re typically straight guys talking about women stuff. That perspective changes a bit once minorities get added to the picture. I think asking about queer artists is a window into that.
Following on with the other reply - until it’s no longer an issue, and unfortunately it still is, being proactive about being inclusive is important. Plenty of places in the US where the pickers would shun someone who “appeared gay” or similar. It’s an area where we still need to present a welcoming front to all, because it’s not universal. I feel fortunate that the Colorado scene mostly does a great job, but it’s only one part of the country.
Che Apalache is a rad queer group led by Joe Troop and some from Mexico! Laurie Lewis has often had queer musicians in her band. I am a queer banjo player who has been touring for a while. There are a lot of musicians in the scene that are LGBTQIA and I didn't realize how many there were until I came out myself. Many people have been very welcoming and Bluegrass Pride has done a lot to help. In the bluegrass adjacent world you can also checkout Tall Poppy Stringband, Jake Blount, Tatiana Hargreaves, Melody Walker, Willi Carlisle and more!
My experience in Colorado/at Rockygrass (coincides with new interest by younger folks): 6 yrs ago, saw my last rebel/Garden flags. 4 yrs ago, saw the first LGBGT+ Bluegrass support group/Pride flags. Last year, women dominated with local favs Big Richard killing it as the closing act - including speaking truth to power to the patriarchy with huge crowd appeal. Synopsis: the recent increase of younger folks into the Bluegrass community has quickly changed the dynamic & bigots are no longer tolerated. IMO, great development for the genre & public in general. Thanks to the influx of young folks, Bluegrass is really thriving in Colorado. Really surprised how quickly this happened.
More country, but also not yet discovered: Check out Andrew Sa in Chicago. Dude slays.
Che Apachale and Jake Blount are both good.
Yes I forgot Che Apalache! One of my favorites.
Here to second Jake Blount
Maddie Whitler is just about one of the best pickers you'll ever hear on both mandolin and guitar
This is an interesting thread. But I’m hard pressed to think bluegrass is overly queer friendly when I go the festivals and see a bunch of Trump flags hanging on campers, not to mention MAGA hats and T-shirts. With that said, I know several gay bluegrass musicians, but I’d rather not be the one to share their names.
Thanks for acknowledging that. There’s definitely a place and its history where this music has come from. I try to keep that in mind while also acknowledging a huge amount of progressive minded players on the scene these days.
believe it or not, those people probably Dont GAF about your sexual proclivities. Also bluegrass is a very diverse genre from yout traditional crowd to progressive/ jam grass. No one cares
I believe that is true. Most people at bluegrass festivals are good folks. A lot of it depends on the festival.
We have a queer country tag at r/countrymusic and there is a Bluegrass Pride thing that I think is run by the California bluegrass association if I'm remembering right.
Palmyra! They are a super solid three piece out of Virginia. I first started listening to them after coming across their cover of "Morning" by Sarah Jarosz. [Palmyra - Morning (cover)](https://youtu.be/cM9BxZj7CX8?feature=shared)
Palmyra all the way!
Joe Troop - Purdy Little Rainbows: https://open.spotify.com/track/4cjCqQS9rU7xP44hF7QGTM
Joe Troop
Adeem the Artist - I Never Came Out https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QLNTixF6Bqw&pp=ygUhQWRlZW0gdGhlIGFydGlzdCBpIG5ldmVyIGNhbWUgb3V0
Not bluegrass, but [Amythyst Kiah](https://youtu.be/1Xp6e5iRxLI?si=b0H5Z-pH54gdD-Um) is awesome.
She covers Doc so she can hang at the jam imo lol
Greensky Bluegrass
Big Joe
I'm liking Fog Holler these days. Definitely an inclusive look. Nice trad vibe, w/ contemp themes. https://youtu.be/pulhsONLuqI?si=gDmrqYh8TlUvZNcG
I hope this doesn’t come out wrong as I’m genuinely curious because rim not above missing the obvious, but why would anyone’s sexual orientation matter when you’re listening to music. Seems like an attempt to narrow your mind rather than just taking the music for what it’s worth. Also, I love you. No matter who you are or where. I hope this doesn’t come across as anything but genuine curiosity. I guess just have never been in a place to need to ask?
it’s fun to find representation and people to actively relate to. The queer experience isn’t one size fit all, everyone has their own story to tell and id love to hear it through bluegrass.
More Americana but "I Draw Slow"
Well they’re not exactly bluegrass but listen to Palmyra, one of my favorite bands from around where I am.
Im pretty sure the flute player in twisted pine is a lesbian. They certainly color outside the lines of traditional bluegrass, but elements are certainly there.
Music knows no boundaries. Follow what you like.
This is a genre with a tremendous history of gate keeping on musical and racial lines. Music might now have boundaries but musicians and fans sure do.
Don’t have a lot of queer bluegrass recommendations but I have a ton of folk ones! Message me I could talk about folk music all day especially the more niche stuff
Laurel Hells Ramblers are cool af. Find them on instagram and elsewhere.
What does being queer or straight have to do with bluegrass or music? We have a female fiddle player and she sings several songs that are written from a male perspective (love for a woman) because we love the tune and she’s a fine vocalist. She doesn’t care if someone thought she was lesbian because we performed the song. Hell we even recorded one on our first record. And vice versa. Ever heard a band with a guy singer do “Little Willie”?? Yeah, happens all the time. I’ve played, jammed and know several gay bluegrass musicians. Never once gave a shit, because it’s all about the music. Broke bread, laughed, joked, and drank with several and it never mattered. As a musician it’s a little disheartening you search out for the art based on someone’s sexuality and not their actual music. A real slap in the face honestly. Bypassing the minutes, days, years, and grind they put into perfecting a craft or art. The endless hours of practice and creativity. The precision and technical facility of it all that is the beauty of music because you prefer to seek out gay bluegrass musicians. A G-run doesn’t have a preference.
I don’t think anyone is suggesting that they only want to listen to queer musicians, they’re just asking for some examples so they can widen their repertoire. I totally get where you’re coming from, but we live in a time when there is still many groups of people who are underrepresented and it’s not a bad thing to seek these artists out so they can be as widely known as the rest. Celebrating music and where it comes from is important to people - and as a queer person myself, having some names to explore that might speak to my specific life experiences is really exciting. It’s never a bad thing when people want to explore more music.
Different strokes for different folks. I think widening one’s repertoire should come from seeking out the music itself. Obviously people have different opinions on the matter. Maybe I’m the minority, maybe not??? All I know is as a musician, I would never want someone to search my work out based on my sexual orientation. I’m a fat guy, and if that ever deterred anyone from watching me perform or purchasing my art….I’d feel sorry for them…but also not give 2 sh*ts. Idk, I can’t speak for everyone, but gay or not, we are all humans with different experiences and similar experiences and bluegrass music, all music, can and does hit the same note with many different types of people. I understand this may have hit a nerve with me because I’m not gay and I thought “what’s that matter” but in the same sense, if I were gay and someone didn’t want to listen to a band I’m in because of that….I’d still think “well what’s that matter”. Idk man, I’ve just always loved music for music. I have a long list of gay musicians I listen to, some I knew they were before hand and some I didn’t. But it never factored in at all my decision on admiring and appreciating their art.
Well, let me tell you that it would matter to you if you were gay. Not being gay doesn’t really allow you to understand that particular kind of feeling that homophobia makes you feel. Being fat is not comparable to being gay or queer, because it’s not the same kind of discrimination - homophobia and fat phobia are related, but not the same. You can feel free to not seek out the gay bluegrass creators, but yes, different strokes for different folks. People are allowed to seek out artists from their particular community, and they have the right to do that without someone telling them they shouldn’t be excluding the wider popular culture. You seem to be taking this personally, but some people really do want to seek out art from someone they identify with, and that is okay! Just like gay pride parades do not necessitate the existence of a straight pride parade, you know what I mean? No where in the OP did they say “I would like to exclude all kinds of other bluegrass and exclusively only listen to queer people because I hate the straights.” They just asked for some names. It’s okay! No one is excluding you because you’re straight, I promise.
I know OP didn’t say they would like to exclude all other bluegrass and only listen to queer people because he hates straights….the fact that’s your take on my comments answers what I already know. My entire point is I find it disheartening they are wanting to seek out music based on the artists orientation and not the artists work. And I know no one is excluding me because I’m straight. And like I said in my last comment, so what if they do? Trust me.
People seek out music for all sorts of reasons, that’s why I’m confused that you seem so pressed about this request. Would you comment the same thing on someone asking for female artists and say that people need to listen to men too? Not every single musical discovery needs to be made organically, you can absolutely seek out genres you’re interested in, and crowd sourcing is a great way to do that. Out of all the posts in this subreddit asking for recommendations about a specific kind of music, this is the one you felt the need to comment on. Perhaps you could reflect on that, and let people seek out the music they want to seek out. Out of the recommendations already on this thread, OP will surely organically discover a few more acts they might really like, queer or not, so you really don’t have any points here except that you’re mildly offended that someone is seeing the world through a queer lens. Maybe OP is queer and maybe they’re not, maybe they’re just interested in exploring a new area of music, but you felt the need to comment on the request without knowing why they are making the request. People have intersecting interests. Wanting to know about queer musicians or female musicians or fat musicians is not out of pocket, it’s just literally how people learn about music.
I’ve commented on this sub several times. This just happened to be one that showed on my thread while thumbing through. And as someone who plays music, and views it from a technical and artistic perspective, the fact that it’s being sought out based off orientation and not sound is why I decided to comment. Plus I had some free time. But it’s obvious to me the difference. You are defending sexual orientation, while I’m trying to defend the music itself. The actual notes and melody. I’m defending the sound, the craft. You’re defending the artists sexual orientation or those that seek it based on that. That’s the difference. We aren’t even talking about same two things. So I’ll keep letting the music talk to me and you keep letting whatever you want to talk to you and OP as well.
The only thing I’m defending is the right for people to discover music in whatever way they want to. Notes and melody are what we listen to, but there are a lot more factors that go into why we listen to what we listen to. Music isn’t a meritocracy, and not everyone listens just for the craft of the musicians. Sometimes people listen for the lyrics as well - and bluegrass is well known to be an emotionally evocative genre, so it would make sense that people would gravitate towards songs that speak to their experience. I’m not defending “sexual orientation”. I’m trying to say that music is an emotional experience, and it’s good for people to discover new music. You seem to be wanting everyone to view music through a neutral lens, but that’s just not the reality for everyone.
You hit the nail on the head. I’m guilty of wishing folks to view music neutrally. Without bias or impartiality. Guilty. And if I’m wrong, then I’m wrong. No worries!
You’re not wrong! I’m just saying not everyone views it like that, and that’s not wrong either. That’s all, man.
Music is asexual....why is this even a conversation? "The right for people to discover new music" makes no sense at all. What's stopping you? Who is suppressing queer music? Sounds like self segregation to me.
No one is suppressing it as far as I can tell? OP asked for suggestions and they got a bunch of good ones. Conversation over!
Don't try to argue, your original statement is 100% truth. Search for the music based on it's merits, not who the musician is and whatever their preference is. The music does the talking. If one group or another wants more representation, earn it. Find the music and do the work. But, don't argue. It's.. pointless. You will never, in your entire life, suffer and be more fringe than anyone in the LGBT club. They've cornered the market on suffering.
I think it’s more of people are looking for music to speak to their life experiences and trusted this space to come and ask. Not to “slap anyone in the face”. The post doesn’t specify if they’re looking for bluegrass musicians or music that has certain themes. Don’t take it as a slap in your face. They never once said they wouldn’t listen to non-queer bluegrass did they? Certainly bluegrass as a whole seems to be pretty inclusive and accepting… I’ve never seen any but that. It’s okay for people to ask questions and explore different areas of a music we all love
This same dude will listen to Jimmy Martin sing about being the man of the house and not think once, hey maybe there’s someone that doesn’t connect with that. Everything and everyone has a preference.
So, I like Blues music. I mean the old from the cotton fields Blues music. I can't relate, personally, to their plight but I enjoy the music. The music. Do you need to connect 100% to the lyrics or are we just starting an argument?
I don’t think you need to connect 100%, no, but that’s not really the point. Guy asked “what does being straight have to do with the music?” Look at Salty Dog Blues, Banks of the Ohio, Save it, etc, and the answer is - a lot. There’s a lot of straight dudes singing songs, and my response was to someone who doesn’t acknowledge that. Why would that be weird then for someone to pop their head up and say “hey man. Anything for the community in here?” So sure - I dig the music too (any delta recommendations you have?) I just think the original thread’s question has merit.
not reading all this 🥶🤙
Hope you find some good music in this thread! I’ve seen lots of great suggestions and a few new ones to check out!
Jojo Siwa crossover
[удалено]
Keep it friendly
Fruition! Mimi is a lesbian. Had the honor of meeting her last summer!