Cindy Emch
LGBTQ artists have long fought for recognition, both inside and outside the mainstream country world, and AmericanaFest prides itself on highlighting left-of-center artists in the roots music scene. Following in a lengthy tradition of spotlighting queer musicians, Cindy Emch and Julie Nolen present some of the best queer country in the hemisphere with their OUTlaw Queer Country event, happening Sept. 19 at Lipstick Lounge. The show will feature Nashville queer country veterans Mercy Bell, Jaimee Harris and Melody Walker, as well as out-of-towners like Paisley Fields (New York), Joy Clark (New Orleans) and Shawna Virago (San Francisco). Manitoba’s Bobby Dove and Nashville’s own Madeline Finn, two talented up-and-comers, will join in too. There will also be a screening of Damon Beirne’s short documentary “Lavender Outlaws.” Filmed at 2022’s Queer Roots Party at The Groove, the doc offers a look at queer country community and solidarity in the run-up to the Tennessee state legislature’s 2023 slate of anti-LGBTQ legislation (a trend that didn’t diminish in 2024).
Emch, who lives in the Bay Area, describes her work as a “combination of rowdy outlaw and tender-hearted Leonard Cohen.” Nolen, who’s in Austin, Texas, calls her music a cross section of “bar ballads.” The Scene talked with Emch and Nolen about their work, why it’s still important to showcase queer country artists, and how they have felt supported by AmericanaFest in the wake of transphobic incidents during the festival in 2023. They curated this year’s event as a nod to the work done across the country, and a continuation of the work launched by Karen Pittelman’s Queer Country Monthly series in Brooklyn.
Julie Nolen
How did you pull this lineup together?
Cindy Emch: I’ve been keeping a list since [Queer Cowpoke Roundup] last year — and have already started the list for 2025! I based it on podcast research, Americana charts, names I’ve seen opening for other artists, artists who have reached out to me, self-identified folks in the online queer country community, and names passed to me by other musicians. I also wanted to make sure that we included local talent as well — Nashville is such an amazing musical community. I wanted to make sure that our show reflects not just the North American queer country community, but Nashville as well.
Why is it important to feature queer artists at AmericanaFest?
Julie Nolen: I started OUTlaw Pride in Austin in 2021. I and some of my other queer musician friends were kept out of the sandbox, so I wanted to build our own. I’m tired of these bearded dudes with cowboy hats singing about whiskey and women. Why don’t we have somebody who is a nonbinary pansexual person of color talking about that kind of stuff? OUTlaw Pride was also a way for me to bring this music to ears that wouldn’t normally seek it out. I want to create empathy. I believe that homophobia and transphobia is all based on fear — fearing what you don’t know. Maybe our songs can help bridge the gap.
CE: I feel like I exist on this earth to help people find art that matters to them, as well as making my own art. Creating a community just strengthens all of our ability to create a safe space for musicians and fans to find music that is going to make their lives better.
Have you received any assurances that this year’s festival will be a safer space?
JN: It’s important for AmericanaFest to wake up and realize, “Oh, maybe we need to be a little bit more careful [with LGBTQ artists]. Maybe we need to include these people. Maybe we need to respect these people and show them the respect they deserve.” Artists like Orville Peck and Brandi Carlile are hugely successful. “We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it,” right? It’s important to highlight queer country artists at AmericanaFest specifically to show the legitimacy of queer country itself.
CE: This is our second year in a row as an official event, listed in the app. … They’ve given us a lot of resources and a lot of support to make this year even bigger than last year. There are also more artists featured in official showcases: Paisley [Fields] has one, and there will be a tribute to Mary Gauthier’s album Drag Queens and Limousines. Their support gives the event legitimacy. It matters for people’s professional reputations.
Ahead of AMERICANAFEST, we talk with Emerging Act of the Year nominee Wyatt Flores, run down our favorite shows and more
