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The Oldest Gay Country Band In America Will Be Playing North Carolina

"The base of people who listen to country music... needs to be blown out," says Lavender Country singer Patrick Haggerty. "Nashville needs to get over that shit."

Everyone from Bruce Springsteen to PayPal is boycotting North Carolina over it's new anti-LGBT law, but one unique act is sticking to its guns—and it's plan to play a music festival in Raleigh.

Formed in 1972 by singer-songwriter Patrick Haggerty, Lavender Country is believed to be the first gay country act in America—and now the band is getting back together to play a rare show on September 10 as part of Raleigh's Hopscotch music festival.

Based out of Seattle, Lavender Country released its self-titled debut album in 1973, with unsubtle tracks like "Come Out Singin'," "Back in the Closet Again", and "Straight White Patterns." The band struggled to get airplay—in fact, Seattle DJ Shan Ottey had her FCC license revoked for playing "Cryin' These Cocksucking Tears."

Lavender Country disbanded in 1976, but Haggerty remained active in politics and LGBT rights. (He even ran for the Washington State House of Representatives—unsuccessfully.)

When North Carolina record label Paradise of Bachelors re-issued Lavender Country in 2014, it put the 71-year-old musician-activist back in the spotlight.

A documentary about his life and music premiered this year at South by Southwest.

"It is like somebody is finally listening to me," Haggerty told Seattle Weekly.

"The people in the gay movement at the time understood what it was about, but nobody else did. The very idea of gay country was so outlandish that people couldn’t listen to it. People couldn’t handle it."

Now, he says, country music is ready for an out artist.

"Country music is not NASCAR and rednecks. The base of people who listen to country music—and the stereotype of who country music belongs to—needs to be blown out. Nashville needs to get over that shit."

Listen to Lavender Country below.

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