Gay country music pioneer Patrick Haggerty dies at 78 – Queerty

October 31, 2022 Kim Martel

Patrick Haggerty, writer and singer of pioneering queer record Lavender Country, has died at age 78.

Released by his band of the same name, Lavender Country is often cited as the world’s first gay country album. Though just 1000 copies of record were pressed at time of release in 1973, the work has endured in the annals of queer music history for its explicitly LGBTQ+ lyrics and themes in a genre often hostile to such ideas.

Haggerty’s passing was announced on the band’s social media pages on Monday, October 31st:

“This morning, we lost a great soul,” the band writes. “RIP Patrick Haggerty.”

The singer had experienced health problems of late, according to the band.

“After suffering a stroke several weeks ago, he was able to spend his final days at home surrounded by his kids and lifelong husband, JB.
Love, and solidarity.”

Haggerty formed Lavender Country in Seattle, Washington, bringing queer friends together to record his collection of folksy queer tunes. Tracks like “Cryin’ These C*cksucking Tears” and “Come Out Singing” fought against the oppressive heteronormative ideals in both the industry and popular culture by loudly proclaiming their queerness. The record ranges from abject protest songs to more tender, longing tunes, reflecting the breadth of the queer experience.

This formative album has gone on to influence queerness in the country genre for decades, with artists like Trixie Mattel and Orville Peck citing it as inspiration. Haggerty and his talents saw a recent resurgence after a reissue of the album in 2014, a duet with Mattel in 2020, and a brand new album Blackberry Rose earlier this year.

Tributes and fond memories of the singer continue to flood in:

Let’s take a look back at a live session from 2018, with Haggerty singing his lavender heart out: