Country Queer Spotlight

Join host Rachel Cholst in conversation with Nashville singer-songwriter Mercy Bell. Together they probe the background, influences, and life circumstances that led Bell to record her new "stone-cold ‘90s country album," Golden Child.

Patrick Haggerty is the undisputed godfather of queer country, having released the revolutionary album "Lavender Country" way back in 1973. In this interview, host Rachel Cholst talks with Patrick about his long, winding journey - one that is still very much unfolding. Tune in, kick back, and enjoy.

In this episode, host Rachel Cholst welcomes the fierce and funny Joe Troop. The founder of GRAMMY-nominated stringband Che Apalache, Troop’s music is deeply embedded with his activism and inspired by his experience as a gay man. In addition to a spirited in-depth discussion, this episode premieres tracks from Troop's upcoming solo album Borrowed Time, featuring Béla Fleck, Abigail Washburn, Tim O’Brien, and Charlie Hunter.

Our tenth episode features Karen Pittelman, of Karen & the Sorrows, in conversation with host Rachel Cholst. Karen has not only been a pioneer in creating expressly queer, expressly country music, but she also was a driving force in establishing a vibrant queer country scene, starting in her hometown of Brooklyn and eventually expanding to a national circuit of queer country shows, artists, and venues. Rachel, a longtime friend of Karen's digs into all this - and Karen's activism around racism in country music. Dig in!

Episode 9 of Country Queer Spotlight features S.G. Goodman in conversation with host Rachel Cholst. They dig into the relationship between Goodman's religious curiosity, her political consciousness, and the possibility of an authentically righteous - and authentically Southern - world view. (Includes a tantalizing nugget of breaking Goodman news!)

Jake Blount released an extraordinary album, "Spider Tales," which lays out a "genrequeer" vision for the future of traditional music. Join host Rachel Cholst as she checks in with Jake about the making of "Spider Tales," his formative influences, and making art as a Black man in the BLM era.

Join host Rachel Cholst as she follows Paisley Fields on the winding path to their recent album "Electric Park Ballroom." This chat between old friends follows Paisley from Iowa to Japan to New York, all the way to a new identity and a new name.

In this episode, host Rachel Cholst tunes into the delightfully surprising mind of Aaron Lee Tasjan with an in-depth interview and several songs from Tasjan's dynamite album, "Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!". Together they explore the broad range of formative influences on both Tasjan's music and his idiosyncratic sense of style. Bonus: unreleased track by Tasjan's pal Jaimee Harris!

Singer-songwriter Jaimee Harris talks with host Rachel Cholst about her breakthrough album "Red Rescue," pinball, true crime, and more. Featuring deep cuts by Harris as well as songs by her influences.

Gifted young trans songwriter Izzy Heltai talks with Rachel about the 60s folk influences on his music, his Massachusetts upbringing and...living in a closet?

Katie Pruitt blew Nashville away with her 2020 debut "Expectations," whose mature treatments of gay coming-of-age belied her tender years. Here, Pruitt shares her journey to the album, from her religious Southern upbringing through her musical education - with some skateboarding along the way.

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah ("Black Myself," with the Americana supergroup Our Native Daughters) joins host Rachel Cholst in an in-depth exploration of the development of Kiah's art, growing up Black and gay in Appalachia, her upcoming album, and what the Grammys are really like. Featuring Amythyst's performances with Our Native Daughters as well as songs by her musical heroes and peers, including Tori Amos and Jake Blount.

Join host Rachel Cholst as she engages country outlaw Jaime Wyatt in a candid discussion of her music and her experiences as a gay woman in country. Featuring tracks from Jaime's new album, "Neon Cross," as well as deep cuts from earlier albums and songs by her musical heroes, including Waylon Jennings and The Highwomen.