Gay Country Music Singers You Should Know
Out country music singers are making a big splash in the mainstream music industry. Here are a few of our favorite gay country music singers you should know!
Introduction
Country music has been inclusive of LGBTQ+ performers for many years, with some singers publicly coming out and others more subtly incorporating queer themes into their music. Here are eight gay country music singers you should know.
1. Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline was a pioneering country singer who achieved massive success in the 1960s with hits like “Crazy” and “I Fall to Pieces.” She was also one of the first openly gay country musicians, carrying on a long-term relationship with fellow singer Loretta Lynn.
2. Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is one of the most successful country singers of all time, with a string of hits that includes “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” and “I Will Always Love You.” While she has never officially come out, she has spoken about her relationships with both men and women and once said, “I believe everybody should be free to love anybody they want to love.”
3. Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson is a country music legend known for hits like “On the Road Again” and “Always on My Mind.” He came out as gay in an interview with Rolling Stone in 1992, saying, “What difference does it make? I’m not changing my sex or my lifestyle, so what’s the big deal?”
4. Chely Wright
Chely Wright is a country singer who came out in 2010 with the release of her memoir, Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer. She followed up her coming out with the album Lifted Off the Ground, which included the Single “Like Me” and addressed her experience as a gay woman in the country music industry.
5. Brandy Clark
Brandy Clark is a singer-songwriter whose credits include co-writing Miranda Lambert’s hit song “Mama’s Broken Heart.” She came out as lesbian in 2012 and has since been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, particularly within the country music industry. Her 2014 album 12 Stories included the song “Hold My Hand,” which told the story of a young gay couple striving for acceptance. 6. Ty Herndon Ty Herndon is a country singer who came out in 2014 during an interview with Entertainment Weekly. He said that he had known he was gay since he was 13 years old but had hidden it from both his family and fans for fear of rejection. Herndon went on to become an outspoken ally for LGBTQ+ people within country music, hosting events like Nashville’s first ever Pride concert in 2015. 7. Billy Gilman Billy Gilman came out as gay in 2014 in a moving YouTube video in which he spoke about his fear of rejection from the country music industry. He said that he had decided to come out because he wanted to be an example to other young LGBTQ+ people who might be struggling with their identity. Gilman went on to release several successful singles, including “Say You Will” and “Southern Voice.” 8 . Drake Jensen Drake Jensen is a Canadian country singer who came out publicly in 2017 during an emotional performance at Nashville Pride. Jensen spoke about his decision to come out, saying that he wanted to show other LGBTQ+ people that they could pursue their dreams regardless of their sexuality or gender identity
Ty Herndon
Country music singer Ty Herndon came out in 2014, making him one of the first major country stars to do so. He’s been in the business for over 20 years and has released five studio albums. Herndon has said that he hopes his decision to come out will help others in the country music community feel more comfortable being themselves.
Billy Gilman
Billy Gilman is an American country music singer. He is known for his singles “One Voice” and “Oklahoma”, both of which charted on the Billboard country music charts in 2000. He has released seven studio albums, and has charted nineteen singles on the Billboard country music charts. Gilman was born in Rhode Island, and began his career as a child singer, released his first album in 2000. He came out as gay in November 2014, and in 2016, he competed on The Voice, finishing as the runner-up.
Steve Grand
Steve Grand is an out and proud country music singer who is quickly gaining a following both in and out of the country music world. His 2015 hit song “All-American Boy” went viral and helped put gay country music on the map. He has since released two more albums, “Not the End of Me” and “All I Ever Wanted,” both of which have been met with critical acclaim. In addition to his musical career, Grand is also an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights, making him one of the most visible gay country music singers today.
Brantley Gilbert
Brantley Gilbert is a country singer from Georgia. He has released four studio albums, all of which have charted in the top ten on the US Country charts. His most recent album, “The Devil Don’t Sleep”, was released in 2017 and debuted at Number One on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Gilbert is openly gay and married to his husband, Jarret Myrick, in 2015.
Conclusion
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start in discovering some great gay country music singers. With so much talent out there, it’s great to see that country music is becoming more and more inclusive.
