The History of Gay Country Representation in 15 Songs

Country songs by LGBTQ+ performers aren't rarities or novelties. Instead, they're part of a lineage that dates back to at least the 1960s and has grown exponentially --both in the mainstream and on the fringes of the genre -- over the past 20 years. The 21st century has also seen a growing number of allies, from Willie Nelson to Maren Morris, using their platforms to champion equal rights for all.

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This list mostly sticks with mainstream country music, though it does include the likes of k.d. lang. There's a separate lineage of LGBTQ+ roots and Americana artists and their allies, with that timeline stretching back to the work of folk revival pillar Peggy Seeger. Picking only 15 songs forced us to skip over several worthy selections from recent years, including masked renegade Orville Peck's Shania Twain collaboration "Legends Never Die." With all that in mind, read on for a brief history of country songs by or about the LGBTQ+ community.

"Don't Touch Me," Wilma Burgess (1966)

The first known LGBTQ+ artist to achieve a modest level of country stardom, Wilma Burgess scored four Top 15 hits: "Baby" (1965), "Don't Touch Me" (1966), "Misty Blue" (1966) and "Tear Time" (1967). Though record labels didn't promote her as such, Burgess was a lesbian and an active part of Nashville's gay community. Listen to "Don't Touch Me" here.

"Lavender Country," Lavender Country (1973)

In 1973, the late Patrick Haggerty and his Lavender Country bandmates released the first-known country album by and about LGBTQ+ folks. The small-run independent release garnered a cult following in its time and got a second life decades later when Haggerty's songs and life story got unearthed by internet sleuths. Reissues of the original, self-titled LP followed, as did a second album, 2018's Blackberry Rose. Haggerty reformed the band, as well, touring with such young, queer musicians as Paisley Fields, Mya Byrne and Austin Lucas. Listen to the song "Lavender Country" here.

"East Bound and Down," Jerry Reed (1977)

This one looks the most out of place on our list -- and you're correct, Jerry Reed wasn't gay. His co-writer on "East Bound and Down" and "Lord, Mr. Ford," Deena Kaye Rose came out in 2014 as a trans woman. She also penned such whimsical material in the '70s as "The Credit Card Song" and "Biff, the Purple Dancing Bear." Listen to "East Bound and Down" here.

"Western Stars," k.d. lang (1988)

Before Americana became a buzzword, Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang earned critical acclaim with folk songs made outside of the creative constraints of mainstream country music. Her classic 1988 album Shadowland was produced by Wilma Burgess collaborator and Nashville legend Owen Bradley. Listen to "Western Stars" here.

"We Shall Be Free," Garth Brooks (1992)

The half-brother of gay country artist and his longtime bassist Betty Smittle, Garth Brooks' track record of openly supporting the community dates back to at least his 1992 single "We Shall Be Free." The line "'Cause we shall be free/ When we're free to love anyone we choose" got the song banned by country radio stations.

"Shut Up and Drive," Chely Wright (1997)

A '90s country sex symbol, Chely Wright came out of the closet in 2010. In addition to paving the way for others in the genre to live their truth publicly, Wright proved that being openly gay didn't equal losing one's career. Despite a lack of chart hits, she's enjoyed critical success behind her two most recent albums: 2010's Lifted Off the Ground and 2016's I Am the Rain. Listen to '90s country staple "Shut Up and Drive" here.

"What Mattered Most," Ty Herndon (1995)

Wright's bravery inspired fellow '90s notable Ty Herndon to come out publicly in 2014. A third '90s hitmaker, child star Billy Gilman, followed suit the same day as Herndon. The trio marked a slow yet steady cultural shift that paved the way for Brooke Eden and other current LGBTQ+ country artists. Listen to Herndon's No. 1 hit "What Mattered Most" here.

"Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other," Willie Nelson (2006)

With increased visibility of LGBTQ+ folks in country music -- and society at large -- came this tongue-in-cheek cover by Willie Nelson. It's a cowboy song penned in 1981 by Ned Sublette. A legend with Nelson's pop culture reach lent his platform to the no-brainer idea that a genre built on songs about everyday people should reflect the experiences of everyone. Listen here.

"Travelin' Thru," Dolly Parton (2006)

Nelson wasn't the only country icon to record a song inspired by the LGBTQ+ community. Dolly Parton's Oscar-nominated "Travelin' Thru" was written for the film of the same title, which tells the story of a transgender woman's journey to self-acceptance.

"I have a friend and a relative who are transgender. I said, 'I'll be happy to make a stab at that.' It came really easily, because I had personal stuff to draw from," Parton wrote in her book Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. (quote via cheatsheet.com).

Listen here.

"Stripes," Brandy Clark (2013)

Out country songwriters have also become more common in the 21st century. While Rose was in the closet for decades after her work with Reed, Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally have dominated songwriting rooms and the charts in recent times while being out of the closet. Listen to Clark's "Stripes" here.

"Follow Your Arrow," Kacey Musgraves (2013)

While Nelson and Parton championed inclusion deep into their ongoing hall of fame careers, Kacey Musgraves first made a name for herself with "Follow Your Arrow," a personal liberation anthem she co-wrote with McAnally and Clark. Listen here.

"Old Town Road," Lil Nas X Feat. Billy Ray Cyrus (2019)

The story of "Old Town Road's" path to global acclaim hit a snag when it got removed from Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart for supposedly not sounding country enough. Billy Ray Cyrus made a bold -- and ultimately lucrative -- move by bringing pop-country credibility to a song that, depending on whom you ask, didn't fit the genre any less than quite a few 21st century hits. Listen to the record-shattering collaboration here.

"Taxidermy," Jett Holden

The number of LGBTQ+ country and folk artists elevated by the increased focus on Black musicians could be its own list. Black Opry regular and former Lavender Country member Jett Holden joins Allison Russell, the Kentucky Gentlemen and countless others in bringing representation in more ways than one to country and Americana spaces. Listen to Holden's "Taxidermy" here.

"Younger Me," Brothers Osborne (2021)

By coming out publicly in 2021, Brothers Osborne singer TJ Osborne became the only openly gay artist signed at the time to a major country label. Grammy award-winning song "Younger Me" followed and offers a vulnerable, first-person account of Osborne's life story. Listen here.

READ MORE: 28 LGBTQ+ Country Singers You Should Be Listening To