Brooke Eden On Advancing LGBTQ+ Visibility In Country Music & Why She's "Got No Choice" But To Be Herself | GRAMMY.com (2024)

Brooke Eden once stared down the barrel of a heart-wrenching decision: Her livelihood or the love of her life. The singer/songwriter'schosen mode of expression was country music, a genre stuggling with LGBTQ+ inclusivity. And the love of her life, radio promoter Hilary Hoover, happened to be of the same sex. As somebody in Eden's circle informed her, she couldn't have both.

"I don't like to [name them] because I don't even want to give them the time of day for that," Eden tells GRAMMY.com over Zoom with an edge to her voice, "but it was a member of my team who's no longer on my team. He straight-up, to our faces, said, 'If you want to have a career, you have to keep your relationship a secret.'"This quandary stressed out the singer so badly that her physical health declined and she developedulcers. Then, she threw up her hands and announced she's "Got No Choice."

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That's the title—and part of the ascendant hook—of Eden's latest single, which acts as a rebuttal to that bad-faith imperative. In the video, Eden jet-sets around with Hoover by her side, accompanied by the infectious tune. "But the sound of my name rollin' off your tongue/ Couldn't sound sweeter from anyone," goes the pre-chorus. "This heart wants no one else and I can't help myself."

"I realized if I was ever going to put out music again, I would need to be completely authentic and myself in order to do it right," Eden says of the period leading up to "Got No Choice." Now, with perhaps her signature song under her belt and a full itinerary as gigs fire up again, Eden has proven this unnamednaysayer wrong—and shownhow sweet it is to have it both ways.

Read on for an interview with Eden about increasing LGBTQ+ representation in country music, how external pressures tested her relationship and why recent strides are just the beginning for a fairer, more equitable Nashville.

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This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

What can you tell me about the intersection of the LGBTQ+ community and country music, historically speaking?

Historically speaking, there's not much[chuckles]. There's not much of an intersection. Now, things are changing. This whole genre of music is changing right now. It's so cool to be part of that change and watch it happen as we're living in it. Inclusivity for not only the LGBTQ community—me andT.J. Osborne, for example—but also different cultures and colors of skin.

Mickey Guytonis one of my best friends and she's finally getting the recognition she deserves. The only thing that was holding her back was that she was a Black woman.

What's up with the ingrained hom*ophobia and racism in Nashville?

I think that there's ingrained hom*ophobia and racism in our country as a whole. I think so much of that has to do with organized religion and the ways they've talked about hom*osexual behavior. I think it's very sad that people hide their hom*ophobia and bigotry behind the Bible. It's so backward.

But I think so much of it—especially in the country music genre—is that so many people that are listening to country music are from very small towns and sometimes have never left that small town. It's not a city or even a suburb where you can live your life and be who you are. It's sometimes very closed-minded, just because they haven't ever seen representation and visibility of great people and artists who just so happen to be in the LGBTQ community.

I just think that the more representation and visibility we have marking the pop culture of America, the more of these small-town listeners will realize that our love looks like their love and that you should never judge someone by the color of their skin. That's still so mind-boggling to me.

Can you talk about some of the challenges you've faced due to your sexual orientation?

Some of the challenges are just that I'm a female in general. For a long time, it was hard to be played on country radio just being a girl, which is so crazy because, in the '90s, I grew up singing along toShania TwainandFaith HillandMartina McBrideandthe Chicks. All of these incredible female artists.

And then, for 10 years, we've pretty much hadTaylor Swift,Carrie UnderwoodandMiranda Lambert. And if you were a female other than those three trying to knock on the door, you just weren't going to get answered. You weren't going to get let in. But that's also changing.

Basically, it started at the beginning of our relationship, when Hilary and I met five and a half years ago. We immediately faced pushback and them saying, "Basically, you can have a career in country music or you can be in a relationship, but you can't have both."

That's one of the reasons I wrote "Got No Choice," because I, first of all, thought that was a made-up rule. Who made up that rule? Second of all, I knew that not loving her was not a choice for me. That was my person and I was going to continue to be in a relationship no matter what the rest of my life looked like.

Brooke Eden. Photo: Ford Fairchild

Was this something you heard abstractly, as though you were taking the temperature of the culture? Or did someone literally tell you that?

They told me. I don't like to [name them], because I don't even want to give them the time of day for that, but it was a member of my team who's no longer on my team. He straight-up, to our faces, said, "If you want to have a career, you have to keep your relationship a secret." There were no ifs, ands or buts about that.

Did you ever have a moment of doubt where you thought "He must be right"?

Oh, yeah. For sure. There were definitely times that I was like, "How are these two parts of me ever going to coexist?" I didn't know if it would ever happen. There were years and years of figuring out how to navigate this, knowing that Hilary was my person and also knowing that I had spent my whole entire life working toward this career, toward being an artist. It was very difficult.

It was so unhealthy to continue to live my life disingenuously. I had no authenticity. I had no integrity. I was living two completely different lives—one at home in our close circle of friends and family and one on the road where I never spoke of the love of my life. It's just a very unhealthy way to live.

At some point, I was going through so much mental and emotional turmoil that I got ulcers from bottling things up and not dealing with my situation. My doctor made me get off the road because of how unhealthy my body was. That was a big wake-up call for me.

It was this moment where I realized if I was ever going to put out music again, I would need to be completely authentic and myself in order to do it right.

I want to get Hilary's read on this.How did she feel throughout this ordeal?

I think she's just so grateful that we're finally on the other side of this. There were so many times when we were going through the hard parts of this that we just held each other and sobbed. We were like, "Are we ruining each other's lives?"

Hilary was out when I met her, I put her back into the closet and then she's being told every single day that she's ruining my career. We were so happy and so in love, but the outside world was putting so much pressure on our relationship. I think we've been through so much that just being on this side is so wonderful.

She's the best human on the planet if you ask me, and she always has wanted to be a voice for the LGBTQ+ community. She's so supportive and such a big part of everything.

It seems like LGBTQ+ representation in country music will be a continuous process without a clear finish line. That said, what's the next step, in your mind?

I think it's just at the beginning. We've just cracked the surface. T.J. Osborne coming out was awesome because he's already at such a level of success. [But] they're still not playing Mickey Guyton on the radio.Still. After her GRAMMY nomination, they're still not playing Mickey on the radio. [Editor's note: In March 2021, Billboard reportedGuyton's "Black Like Me" was sent to Adult Contemporary stations. after her GRAMMY performance.]

None of my songs have gone to radio yet, as we're just getting started. But hopefully [we'll experience] the inclusion ofeverybodyon country radio—and not just white dudes singing about white girls.

Chase Rice On His Brotherhood With Florida Georgia Line, Being Unafraid Of "Bro-Country" And Finishing 'The Album'

Just hours before Ella Langley released her debut album, hungover, she checked off another career goal: playing a stadium. Opening for Morgan Wallen in Kansas City, Missouri, she couldn't help but flash back to young Ella, whose musical aspirations have long been stadium-sized.

"I've been manifesting this my whole life. People used to ask me, 'How far do you want to take it?' and I was like, 'As far as I can — which is, in my brain, a stadium,'" the rising country star tells GRAMMY.com on the day of her album release. "So with the record coming out and playing my first stadium, I just kept thinking about that little girl that would lay in her room, stare at the ceiling and wonder if her dream would ever work out. And yesterday, it felt like it's coming true."

It's not entirely surprising that two major milestones happened simultaneously for the Hope Hull, Alabama native. Since she moved to Nashville in 2019, Langley has been winning over peers and fans alike with her candid storytelling and playful demeanor. It's exactly why she's been touted as an artist to watch by CMT and the Grand Ole Opry, among many others; it's also why her most recent single, the cheeky Riley Green team-up "you look like you love me," has been making waves on social media and even across the pond in the U.K., where it's already hit No. 1.

The rest of hungover further showcases her raw-and-real approach, from the twangy kiss-off "cowboy friends" to the regretful tale of "love you tonight." She masterfully finds a balance between straightforward and meaningful, ultimately reminding listeners that it's okay to not be perfect — and to lean into that.

"There's this level of honest that I'm not afraid to be," Langley says. "I think people need somebody like that."

Below, the buzzy country singer details the "badass" women who have inspired her strong-willed attitude, how she's seen her music impact fans, and why she'll never stop thinking of her growing success as "just nuts."

You've said you didn't really consider yourself a songwriter, which is why you moved to Nashville. Now you've co-written two full projects. Clearly you had some sort of songwriting talent in you!

I just have the imagination of a 10-year-old, and that helps, for sure, with songwriting. My dad's an incredible storyteller. My grandpa was an incredible storyteller. Really, storytelling is what my family did. If you come and sit at our dinner table, everyone's talking over each other, laughing loud, telling the same stories that everyone's heard. If one new person sits at the kitchen table, they're in for a loud dinner.

I was singing constantly as a kid. Like I said, I've known my whole life what I wanted to do, so I was always doing it. But I tried to sit down and write songs, and every time I would try to write a whole song, it came out weird. Melodies are always what I would write a lot of, I still feel like [that's] one of my strong suits is in a room.

COVID hit six months after I moved to town, and that was a blessing in disguise for me. I was playing shows still back in Alabama and all over the Southeast. That's how I was paying my bills. I was playing cover gigs — this only job I've ever had, minus a stint in high school with a trampoline park. But that didn't last too long. [Laughs.]

When I [first] moved, I was struggling figuring out how to write. But then COVID hit, and I couldn't do anything but write songs. I found some incredible people in that six months I had before [the pandemic], and that's all I did was write, write, write.

What was the first song that you wrote that you were like, This is who I want to be as an artist?

I don't think there was one song that did that for me. I was talking to Lainey Wilson last night about how it's really crazy [that] when you move to town, people are like, "Who are you as an artist?" You ask a 20-year-old who they are — I don't know! I don't know anything! I'm just doing my best. I'm just trying to survive without my parents telling me what to do right now. So really, this record is my life that I've written from 20 to 25. They're all just journal entries.

We cut "paint in town blue," "hungover," "you look like you love me," and "nicotine" all this month last year, and I still had no idea what the title was going to be. When I was driving around listening to the mixes, I was listening to "hungover." When I was thinking about the title hungover, and what that represents, I was like, Oh, my God, it just does represent everyone's life from 18 to 25. It's growing up, and just kind of giving yourself grace to live your life and figure that out.

Since you've been manifesting this for your whole life, did you have a vision of what you were wanting to bring to country music?

No. Putting this record together has made it make sense. You know, you go so long [playing] cover gigs, and then [when] I started doing my first tour, I'm singing a 45-minute set and I have one song out.

It took this record, putting this together, and kind of figuring that out to really understand who I want to be for my fans — and actually realizing that I have fans now, which is crazy to think and say. Every show I see more and more people singing, and it's as many girls as it is guys singing the same songs. And I love that they're just singing their hearts out.

I think what I want to be for my fans and for country music is just — grace is my word. You don't always have to be perfect. None of us are. So just do your best and love what you do.

The titles of both of the projects you've put out, your EP Excuse The Mess and now hungover, are so indicative of that. Have you had a chance to go back to Excuse The Mess and compare the two, or think about how much you've grown?

Definitely. I thought a lot about Excuse The Mess when I was building this record. I'm so proud of that little project and what came out of it. I got nominated for my first award ever off that record. And the two acoustic songs at the end of it are still two of my favorite songs I've ever written.

I think Excuse The Mess to hungover is a good jump. It's almost like an extension of that. But like I said, my songs are journal entries of my life. [For] the next one, hopefully I won't do as many crazy ass things. [Laughs.]

But that's what makes you relatable and so lovable — you're just singing about the stuff that mid 20-somethings do. You make the mistakes you learn from them, and you sing about them, and everybody loves it. We've all been there!

Exactly. It's funny, I started realizing pretty early on in town how honest I was in [songwriting sessions]. Because a lot of writers were like, "Dang!" I always say that the songwriters in Nashville know way too much about my personal life.

I played a show when I was on tour with Riley [Green] earlier this year. We played in Huntsville, Alabama, and this was the first time I've played a show in Alabama in a minute. We did a meet and greet, and so many people [I know] came. My little sister's going into her senior year [of high school]...she came up to me and she was like, "Watching you do what you do — just the fact that you moved, and watching you just keep pushing at it, I can get up and go to the gym. I can get up and clean my house. You don't understand the hope and motivation that it gives people like us."

That was kind of a big moment for me. This is affecting people now. It's just nuts.

See, you can keep doing crazy s— and you'll still have fans!

I've been this way since the day I was born, so I figure it's not going to stop now. My frontal cortex did develop, so maybe I'll think a little bit more.

I had a feeling you've always been a straight shooter.

It's kind of funny — I think it's something that, if somebody's new [on my team], they have to get used to. If you're used to it, it's kind of nice. I say exactly what I mean all the time. I never beat around the bush!

Where do you think you got that from?

My dad. He's honest — and my mom's honest, but they're very honest in different ways. My dad's a little more Southern Baptist where he's, like, around some people, gonna be a little sweeter. That does rub off on me, because I'm from the South. But, I don't know, I've just always said exactly what I think. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's not. But the older I get, the more I realize it pays off!

It's made me some really cool relationships in this job, with other artists and just people in general. I met Eric Church for the first time the other night. In Nashville, there's this unspoken rule about how you treat artists — especially when you're another artist, you don't want to just walk up and be weird. But I did the Toby Keith tribute [in Nashville on July 29], and whenever I heard Eric Church was playing it [too], I couldn't stop thinking, Am I going to get a chance to shake this man's hand? He's such a legend to me.

There was a bar side stage, and he was standing at the end of the bar, right next to Lainey [Wilson] and HARDY and I'm like, Oh my God, that's perfect. I'm friends with them, this is my in! I walked up there and I was like, "I'm not trying to be weird, and if I am, please just tell me. But I have to tell you, I just think you're a badass, and I would kick myself in the ass if I did not shake your hand and tell you that." And that's how I got a tour with Jamey Johnson — I said the exact same thing.

It's like, how are you surrounded by these people that you've grown up watching, wanting to do what they do, admiring, learning from, and then you just get to meet them, and they're all "Love your voice, love your songs!" Like, "You know who I am? Wow, I'm gonna need to sit down."

So that's how Eric responded?

Yes! It was nuts! Then I leaned into HARDY and I said, "Do you remember the first time you were around the most famous people you've ever been around?" He said, "Yeah, is that you right now?" I said, "Yeah." He was like, "That's awesome!" He had the biggest grin on his face.

It's cool, because Eric is a straight shooter too, so I'm sure he loves seeing another female artist doing that. Because since, like, Miranda Lambert, there really hasn't been a female country artist with such a power stance like, "No, I'm not dealing with your BS."

That's why I think "you look like you love me" is such a cool song, because it is really about women empowerment. My mom's a strong ass female. My grandma was that way. A lot of women in my life are just badasses, and I've seen them go through a lot of s—. I grew up watching them stand up for themselves.

And the older you get, I guess, the more feminine rage you get. I don't know if that's how it usually goes, but for me personally, yes. You know, like "cowboy friends" — you can do whatever you want. Why does it have to be the guy? We know we want more than men, always! Unless you ask me where I want to eat, I always know what I want!

So, go walk up to him! Even if it doesn't work out, whatever. One time I did that at the gym and it didn't work out. My photographer watched me do it. It was terrible.

Something tells me that man regrets turning you down.

He had a girlfriend. Or maybe he didn't and he just said that. [Laughs.] Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself. It's fine — you don't always have to be cool, you know?

Has anyone ever shut you down for being so honest, especially as a female artist?

No, I think it surprises 'em more than anything.

I've been on tour with a lot of outlaws. I started out with Randy Houser, then I went on a Koe Wetzel, and then we did Jamey Johnson, and then Cody Johnson, and now we've got Riley [Green] and HARDY and Morgan [Wallen]. And that's a bunch of outlaws, if you ask me. So you kind of do have to be a badass female around here, you know?

I'm here to play. I'm here to show everybody what I've been working so hard on, and what my band and my team have been working hard on. And I think they respect that. They respect the honesty and the grind that I have. Real sees real, and I think that's what's happening.

Now that you've checked off the debut album, what else are you working on manifesting?

So many things. I have so many plans. I've always been like this. I have so many things spinning in my brain. I'm already working on the title for the next record. The record's out, so now it's time for the next thing. Everyone can listen to this while I'm working on that!

So you're a big manifester?

Oh, constantly. I write in my journal, I make manifestation boards. Every New Year's for the past two or three years, me and a bunch of my team get together, and we have a big arts and crafts party. We play music and manifest. It's crazy to see the things that I put on my board last year that are coming true this year.

What are some of those things?

[Performing at] Red Rocks, the album coming out, getting on a bus. I made friends with Miranda Lambert this year. She's been on my manifestation board three years in a row, so that was cool.

I think I put a gold record on there, which happened this year. Me and Caylee — my photographer who also helps run my social media — we had a goal for how many followers we wanted to get to, and we've already beat that. It's just nuts to see the things that you really hope for come true.

It's hard to imagine country music without Alan Jackson. One of the trailblazers who helped define an entire generation of country music, his accolades include 26 No. 1s on country radio, over 75 million records sold worldwide, two GRAMMYs, and inductions into both the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

It's been a remarkable run for the Newnan, Georgia native that first moved to Nashville in the mid-80's to chase his musical dreams. He'd eventually land a job in The Nashville Network's mailroom and get put into contact with Glen Campbell, whom his wife met while working as a flight attendant. With the "Rhinestone Cowboy" in his corner, Jackson soon signed his first record deal with Arista Nashville in 1989 and released his debut record, Here In The Real World, the following year, and the rest is history.

In the 20 albums that have followed, Jackson has staked his claim as not just one of the best country artists of the 90's and 2000's, but one of the greatest of all time. While the numbers are certainly in his favor, the most undeniable variable in the equation is how adored he is by fans. That love and appreciation will be on full display during Jackson's "Last Call: One More For The Road Tour," which kicked off Aug. 2 at Boston's TD Garden and wraps up May 17, 2025 at Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum.

To commemorate Jackson's legacy and celebrate his final act, here are a dozen bangers from the two-time GRAMMY winner that helped cement his Hall of Fame status.

"Chasin' That Neon Rainbow," 'Here In The Real World' (1990)

Music City is filled with folks who want to make it big in the music business, grinding it out on Broadway and around town in hopes of catching their big break. Jackson explores that concept with "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow," detailing his own journey from playing Georgia's honky tonk circuit to heading to Nashville's Music Row to live out his lifelong dream — because, as he says in the chorus, "all I've ever wanted is to pick this guitar and sing."

Though Jackson's next single, "I'd Love You All Over Again," marked his first No. 1, "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow" reached No. 2 and helped introduce his signature twangy, yet soulful sound. Along with being a fan favorite, the song has clearly remained important to Jackson, too, as it's still a set staple to this day.

"Don't Rock The Jukebox," 'Don't Rock The Jukebox' (1991)

While Jackson isn't necessarily known for writing tear-in-your-beer tunes, he can still do it with the best of them. Take "Don't Rock The Jukebox," a story about a down-on-his-luck bar patron longing for some country music to ail his heartbreak.

As such, throughout the song he can be heard pleading to other barflys to not put on any rock music because "I wanna hear some Jones/ 'Cause my heart ain't ready/ For the Rolling Stones." It's a story most of us have seen play out a time or two ourselves, and the homage to George Jones — one of the best penners of tear-in-your-beer songs — is a nice touch.

"Chattahoochee," 'A Lot About Livin' (And A Little 'Bout Love)' (1992)

The country hit of the summer in 1993, "Chattahoochee" tells the tale of having fun and growing up near the river of the same name straddling the Georgia-Florida-Alabama border. While the song delves into Jackson's own experiences growing up there, it's also ambiguous enough to fit with anyone coming from small town America, or at least anywhere that "It gets hotter than a hoochie coochie."

Despite Jackson initially thinking it wouldn't be a hit, "Chattahoochee" quickly transformed into one of his biggest songs, the reverberations of which are still being felt today. In the 30 years since, ditties about lighthearted summer fun on the water have become as central to country songwriting as pickup trucks, cheap beer and heartbreak, and "Chattahoochee" was one of the first to kickstart that trend.

"Livin' On Love," 'Who I Am' (1994)

Jackson's 40+ year marriage to his wife, Denise, has long served as inspiration for his music, and their relationship takes center stage on "Livin' On Love." The sentimental song sees the singer looking back on their time spent together, from their humble beginnings before he broke through in music ("Two young people without a thing") to raising a family and still being just as crazy about each other through it all.

While the retrospective tune illustrates Jackson's endearing love for his wife that "can walk through a fire without blinkin'," its message is one that hits home with lovebirds everywhere — no doubt a big reason the song eventually became his ninth No. 1 hit.

"Gone Country," 'Who I Am' (1994)

The most revered track from Jackson's stacked 1994 album Who I Am, "Gone Country" serves as a commentary of the country music industry, which was in its '90s heyday at the time of the song's release. While it's meant in part as a jab at those in the business who value money over artistic integrity, the tune is also intended as a celebration of the success of country music in the '90s, and how the music business was adapting to capitalize on the craze. ("Yeah, we've gone county/ The whole world's gone country," he sings on the final verses.)

The song has come full circle as of late, given the current moment country music is having in pop culture — from the success of stars like Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan to crossover records from Beyoncé, Post Malone and others. Not only has that proven the song to be just as relevant 30 years later, but it also shows just how spot-on Jackson's postulating was.

"Little Bitty," 'Everything I Love' (1996)

Sometimes life's best gifts come in the smallest of packages. This is evidenced by Jackson's "Little Bitty," a little ditty from 1996's Everything I Love that became the Georgian's 14th No. 1 hit.

Aside from its quirky, lighthearted narrative about finding the joys in life's small and mundane moments, the song also contains an underlying message of having a positive mindset and not letting every little transgression get you down. Its exquisite word play and universal message is just as powerful now as it was when Jackson first recorded it — yet another example of how Jackson's songwriting resonates with listeners past, present and future.

"Where I Come From," 'When Somebody Loves You' (2000)

The third single from 2000's When Somebody Loves You, "Where I Come From" details a long-haul truck driver's various encounters on the road. Whether it's a cop in New Jersey questioning his accent or a barbecue dinner in Detroit that isn't anything like what his mother would make, the song is a metaphorical pondering of the ways Jackson's Southern upbringing varies from the places he passes through.

Each story grows goofier than the last, illustrating Jackon's penchant for simple yet captivating storytelling. And while "Where I Come From" is ultimately rooted in his Southern culture, his passionate delivery on the anthemic chorus makes anyone want to sing along, no matter where you're from.

"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)," 'Drive' (2002)

While countless songs have been written about the September 11, 2001 attacks, it's hard to find one with more apolitical grace or as much empathy as Alan Jackson on "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)."

Rather than containing vengeful imagery of boots kicking butts, the song instead details Jackson's own experiences and mixed emotions of the day — from shouting in anger to sitting down to cry — to create arguably his most powerful and unifying piece of work. And its moving message resonated with country fans, earning Jackson his 19th No. 1.

"Drive (For Daddy Gene)," 'Drive' (2002)

Written in remembrance of his late father Eugene, "Drive (For Daddy Gene") sees Jackson recalling memories with his dad — particularly, how he'd let him drive around the countryside near their home in the beat up truck they worked on together.

As the emotions and memories keep flooding back, Jackson eventually reflects on how he's already begun to make similar memories with his daughters. Altogether, the stories make for one of Jackson's most poignant songs that — combined with the single that preceded it, "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" — show how he strikes a chord with listeners on somber songs just as much as his upbeat country anthems.

"Remember When," 'Greatest Hits Volume II' (2003)

Despite delivering a couple of his most poignant hits on 2002's Drive, Jackson delivered his most heartfelt love letter to date with 2003's "Remember When." Much like "Livin' On Love," the song looks back on his marriage and how the bond with his wife has only strengthened over time.

One of two new tracks featured on Jackson's second greatest hits collection, "Remember When" is a stark contrast from the classic drinking song "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" featuring Jimmy Buffett. But while the latter became Jackson's biggest crossover hit, "Remember When" remains the country legend's only single to be certified four-times platinum by the RIAA (as of press time) — further proof that Jackson made an impact with his music no matter the subject.

"Freight Train," 'Freight Train' (2010)

The title track from Jackson's 16th studio record, "Freight Train" visualizes the singer as a steam locomotive running down the tracks away from the woman that scorned him. On it, he's left to untangle himself from the twisted emotions that had kept him from leaving her sooner: "Well every time I talk to you I hear your jealous lines/ I feel like I've been left abandoned on some old railway side."

Even nearly 20 albums into his career, Jackson was still delivering stories that listeners hadn't heard from him before — and "Freight Train" is a prime example of how Jackson has long been able to keep listeners on their toes.

"Long Hard Road," 'The Bluegrass Album' (2013)

Though Jackson is known as one of the world's most accomplished country musicians, he has also forayed into gospel and bluegrass within his mammoth 21-album collection. "Long Hard Road" — a deep cut from his simply titled 2013 effort, The Bluegrass Album — is a perfect example of the latter, as Jackson sings of a rugged journey that's changed him "for good and some for bad" and made him long for a way back home.

The song's hard-driving soundscapes and bold group harmonies make it a natural fit in the bluegrass space. At the same time, it maintains the integrity and distinct voice that's made Jackson him such a beloved star — one whose legacy will live on long after his farewell tour concludes.

Orville Peck wants to make one thing clear: he doesn't miss the tassels on his mask.

"The fringe was sort of a pain in the ass for a lot of things, like going to dinners and things like that. So now that's a lot easier," the country crooner tells GRAMMY.com with a laugh. "When I first started doing shows with my new mask, it was a little nerve-wracking to go out and feel like I was sort of a little naked, but I've gotten over that now."

Tassels or not, Peck's signature face covering has been a major part of his mystique since he burst onto the country scene with his 2019 debut album, Pony. Part Lone Ranger symbol, part leather daddy roleplay, the mask has both protected the singer's true identity (sure, that information is out there, but we're not about to spoil it here) and added a theatrical allure to the brand of offbeat outlaw country that's made him famous.

But on the verge of releasing Stampede, his new duets album (which dropped Aug. 2 via Warner Records), Peck felt confident it was time to update his look — fringe be damned. "I know people feel very connected to the mask and very protective over it, but I make art for myself," he says just days after playing the Newport Folk Festival as part of his ongoing Stampede Tour, which wraps with two shows in Brooklyn, New York on Oct. 19 and 20.

"So when I know it's time to evolve and change something, that's because I need a challenge," the singer continues. "Something different to keep me inspired as an artist and making good art, rather than just doing the same thing over and over again, or pandering to people who expect me to be something or someone."

From the moment he first donned the fringed mask and introduced the world to his stage name, Peck has been hell-bent on blazing his own path through the country scene. After all, he's never checked all — or any — of the boxes the Nashville elite might expect. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa and raised in Vancouver, Canada, the deep-voiced troubadour also happens to be one of the few proudly and openly gay men in the country space — all markers that buck traditional conventions of what makes a 21st century country star.

"I say I'm from all over the place, which is essentially the truth," the singer explained in the 2020 mini-documentary exploring his origins titled "The Orville Peck Story." "You know, I've kind of been on the road my whole life. I was a huge fan of Westerns, I was a huge fan of the Lone Ranger. Looking back on it, being this out-of-place, lonely kid, I can really understand why the image of a cowboy connected to me so hard."

The archetype also runs in his bloodline: in South Africa: his grandfather was a gun-toting sheriff on horseback, and a young Orville spent years roaming the bush with his dad, but the singer is quick to clarify with a knowing chuckle that he sees himself as "more the Marty Robbins [type] rather than the guy who's actually working the ranch."

Peck also admits he's felt, at times, excluded from what he calls the "Nashville machine" of major-label country ("I think they have a very decided mandate of what they want to be country music, and what they think is profitable — and sadly, that doesn't leave tons of room for diversity"). But his success as an outlier who's both queer and non-American is also a testament to the fact that the genre doesn't belong exclusively to some select group of elites dictating who's allowed to pick up a guitar.

"As far as what makes a country musician, I think it's anybody who has a love for country and wants to have their perspective in it," he adds. "With all due, the most important and meaningful mechanism of country is, in fact, just storytelling."

If anything, Peck's first album harkened back to a time — and sound — that predates the glossy sheen and honky-tonk bro culture of modern country altogether. Early songs like "Hope to Die" and "Turn to Hate" tapped into the frank, hardscrabble narratives favored by greats like Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn and Merle Haggard, as Peck painted vivid imagery on the self-produced Pony of a Wild West filled with heartbreak and hatred, ghost towns and standoffs with lost souls. ("Stark, hollow town, Carson City lights/ Baby, let's get high/ Spend a Johnny's cash, hitch another ride," he intones on "Dead of Night," the LP's haunting opener.)

Quick to strike while the proverbial cattle brand was hot, Peck soon inked a deal with Columbia Records and doubled down on the vintage aesthetic and high noon-ready sonic palette of Pony with the 2020 EP, Show Pony.

A more flamboyant evolution of its predecessor, the six-track project continued Peck's reverence for country icons of the past by featuring a menacing reinvention of Bobbie Gentry's '60s-era crossover hit "Fancy" on top of brooding originals like "Summertime" and "No Glory in the West." The biggest spectacle on Show Pony, however, came in the form of "Legends Never Die," an audacious, anthemic duet with none other than Shania Twain.

Not only did the song give the five-time GRAMMY winner an excuse to revisit her well-documented love for a leopard-print jumpsuit — it added a dash of glitz and glamor to Peck's mysterious persona, as he harmonized with the Queen of Country Pop on lines like, "I've been rode hard and put up wet/ Ain't nothing in this world that I can't get/ Don't worry 'bout making sure they won't forget/ No it's fine/ 'Cause legends never die."

At the time, working with his idol served as a major breakout moment for the musical desperado. But as the first duet of Peck's career — which now includes an album dedicated to the art of collaboration — the song was a marked departure from his tried and true approach as a musical Lone Ranger.

"I was willing to do it because it was Shania and I was so obsessed with her. You know, I wrote the song for her and I," he says. "But I used to be very opposed to even writing with other people. It was hard for me because I grew up so DIY in this industry, and so protective over my vision and my music that it was a skill I had to develop."

Throughout the next couple of years, Peck also had to learn how to manage the realities of his growing fame. The country crooner's career reached new heights with the release of his sophom*ore album, Bronco, which he rolled out in three chapters over the winter and spring of 2022.

Steeped in the singer's now-signature pastiche of hypermasculine cowboy fantasies, the studio effort successfully balanced the camp of sly, hom*oerotic cuts like "Daytona Sand" and "The Curse of the Blackened Eye" with the yearning sincerity of ballads like "C'mon Baby, Cry" and "Hexie Mountains." Peck also searched out new sonic influences on the album, finding inspiration in everything from '60s and '70s psychedelia to South African folk music like marabi and mbaqanga — essentially paving the way for the genre-hopping sound of Stampede.

"With Pony, [that] was my first, lonely, frightened little album, and then Show Pony was my glitzy attempt at confidence, and now Bronco is all about breaking free and being untamed and unrestrained," Peck said in an interview with Billboard Pride at the time.

The muscled musical freedom he harnessed on his sophom*ore set paid off: in addition to becoming the singer's first official entry on the Billboard 200, it was a genre-hopping success on the folk, country and rock charts — where it reached Nos. 4, 11 and 13, respectively.

Bronco also arrived in the wake of a cavalcade of ever-increasingly high-profile opportunities for Peck: Lady Gaga tapped him to reimagine "Born This Way" for BORN THIS WAY THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY; Harry Styles asked the singer to open for his fan-favorite "Harryween" shows at Madison Square Garden; and he starred in the campaign for Beyoncé's Ivy Park Rodeo fashion line.

And that's not all: country music's self-described anti-hero suddenly found himself labeled a gay icon-in-the-making as he appeared as a coach and celebrity mentor on the Apple TV+ series My Kind of Country, received the Cultural Icon Award by The Tom of Finland Foundation for "artistic achievement and immeasurable contributions to the art and culture of [the LGBTQIA+] community," and appeared as a guest judge on the main stage of RuPaul's Drag Race.

Read More: How Queer Country Artists Are Creating Space For Inclusive Stories In The Genre

Eager to get back on the road following the pandemic, Peck announced a sprawling tour in support of Bronco, which would take him all around the country through the summer of 2023. But following a sold-out show at The Theater at Madison Square Garden that June for Pride, the singer reached a breaking point.

"I was starting to work on a new album and was feeling a lot of pressure from the jump in success that I'd had around that time; it was all just coming to a head and I was completely burning myself out," he says. "So I had to basically make the decision to stop everything and go take care of myself, because my depression and my mental health was so bad. It was really just too much for me."

So, more than a year after Bronco's release, Peck stopped the avalanche of momentum and canceled the rest of The Bronco Tour to focus on his mental health. "It definitely wasn't easy," he says with hindsight. "I felt like I was letting myself down, everyone who works with me down…all my fans. So it was a very heavy and hard decision. But I'm so happy I did it because it saved my life."

Peck largely spent the rest of the year away from the spotlight, candidly acknowledging in a December Instagram post that "2023 unexpectedly turned out to be the hardest year of my life." But having taken the necessary time to heal, he was ready to dive into his next musical chapter, and within a matter of weeks, he was cryptically teasing Stampede.

Coming off of such a major reset, Peck explains that he views Stampede as a standalone "concept album" of sorts, rather than the latest entry in his canon of solo records. Instead of going it alone, he packed the album with a parade of close friends and music industry legends, both fellow rabble-rousers in the country scene and surprising GRAMMY winners from the worlds of dance-pop, American roots music, EDM and alt-rock.

The album's first single was a duet with Willie Nelson on "Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other" — a groundbreaking and subversive yarn written in 1981 by Latin country artist Ned Sublette that Nelson first recorded in 2006.

"I couldn't believe that Willie Nelson was singing a song about gay cowboys," Peck says of the first time he heard the country icon's solo version, which found the 12-time GRAMMY winner singing, "Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other/ Say, what do you think all them saddles and boots was about?" with a wink over waltzing guitar.

It was Nelson's idea to update the song as a duet, which eventually led Peck to the idea of Stampede. In fact, he asked the younger singer to collaborate on the track the first time they ever met aboard the 91-year-old legend's famous tour bus. "It was overwhelming and validating," Peck remembers. "I mean, if we want to talk about feeling excluded from country, nothing makes you feel more included than Willie Nelson asking you to do a duet."

High off making magic with Nelson, Peck extended that same spirit of camaraderie to some of his closest friends and peers from all corners of the country landscape — from his My Kind of Country costar Mickey Guyton to neotraditional country trio Midland, as well as Canadian folk chanteuse Allison Russell and crosspicking bluegrass virtuoso Molly Tuttle, whom Peck touts as "one of the best guitarists alive."

The singer was equally intentional when it came to melding his sound with other genres, whether he was grooving to the chugging, celebratory "Death Valley High" with Beck, whipping up a whistling, disco-country bop in "Midnight Ride" with Kylie Minogue and Diplo or going toe to toe in a vocal showcase with Teddy Swims on the soaring, gospel-tinged "Ever You're Gone." Along with showing his versatility, Stampede also displays a rejuvenated Peck who is eager to continue pushing the boundaries of country music and beyond.

"I didn't intend for it to be in the usual vein of my solo stuff," Peck says of his approach to the album. "The intention was that I wanted to collaborate with each of these people. So take 50 percent of me and 50 percent of whoever the other artist is, and see what we could make together, you know?"

While Stampede kicks off on an unabashedly gay note with that Willie Nelson duet, it's bookended by a joyful cover of Glen Campbell's beloved 1975 classic "Rhinestone Cowboy." Peck assembled pals Waylon Payne, TJ Osborne of Brothers Osborne and Fancy Hagood for a "star-spangled rodeo" of a finale that felt poignantly momentous for all four trailblazers.

"Obviously, there are not that many out gay men in country music, so we all kind of have this bond together," Peck points out, noting that the quartet have cleverly christened themselves "The High-Gay Men" in their ongoing group chat. "So I knew that it was important to do something really historic in a sense, and meaningful that four, out, proud, gay men in country could get together and do a song together."

Now that the album is out, Peck is prepared to keep the Stampede raging. His sixth annual Orville Peck's Rodeo — a roving mini-festival the singer first dreamt up in the days of Pony — will take place later this summer as part of his touring plans in support of the LP. Hosted by the legendary John Waters and co-headlined by Tanya Tucker, the event promises to deliver three days of live music, drag performances, after-parties and surprises galore. And for the first time, it's taking over Nashville.

Triumphantly descending on Music City U.S.A. with a band of misfits and icons in tow might feel like nothing short of vindication for a masked vigilante who's spent his entire career playing by his own rules. But for Peck, it's always been about his dedication to the art rather than seeking approval from the industry that surrounds it.

"I'll say it like this: I don't feel like an outsider in country music," he concludes. "Because I love country music more than anybody."

Faith has been a driving force behind Alabama band the Red Clay Strays, both in their music and in their journey to stardom. With their new album, Made By These Moments, the quintet leans into that foundation even further, giving listeners a look into their walk with God and road to redemption — all of which has helped them become one of country music's most exciting breakout acts.

Despite the divine influence, lead singer Brandon Coleman insists they're not a Christian band. And their music proves that: The Strays' sound delves as much into high-flying Southern rock and gritty delta blues as it does country, sounding like Waylon Jennings or Johnny Cash one minute, then Lynyrd Skynyrd or Elvis Presley the next. As Coleman insists, what's most important to the group is making music that resonates.

"Most of the time we're not setting out to write a worship song… or anything like that," he tells GRAMMY.com. "We don't want to be a Christian band or even a country band — we just want to make music, plain and simple."

Born out of a cover band in 2016, The Strays grinded it out for years in bars around Mobile and the Deep South before hitting a breakthrough with 2022's independently released Moment Of Truth. Their budding acclaim led to opening slots with Elle King, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church and Old Crow Medicine Show, their first chart hit with "Wondering Why," and debuts on the Grand Ole Opry stage and on national television. And just one week before Made By These Moments arrived, the group were featured on the star-studded soundtrack for Twisters.

That all culminated in them signing with RCA Records in April 2024 and working with producer Dave Cobb, who helped the Red Clay Strays deliver their most polished and faith-focused set to date with Made By These Moments. Its 11 songs serve as a blueprint of how with hard work, patience and God in your corner no obstacle is too big to overcome. The band navigates everything from questioning oneself ("No One Else Like Me") and searching for purpose ("Drowning," "Devil In My Ear") to discovering and becoming grounded in faith ("I'm Still Fine," "On My Knees") and growing into the best version of yourself as a result ("Made By These Moments," "God Does").

"We're not trying to go out and preach to anybody, we're just singing songs about our lives and people can listen if they want," Coleman asserts. "I've had many people who aren't spiritual or religious come up to me and say that our music has gotten them to think and reevaluate how they go about their daily lives. That's all you can ask for if you're trying to inspire or help people with your music."

Before the release of Made By These Moments, The Strays' Brandon Coleman and Drew Nix spoke with GRAMMY.com about how faith influences their music, the album's range of inspirations, and more.

You guys haven't shied away from making your faith a focal point of your music. Mind telling me about the roots of that influence, particularly with how it relates to the 11 songs on this new record?

Brandon Coleman: I mean, God's really the driving force in all of it. He's why we do this. Everyone's wondering why they were put here on Earth and what their purpose is. Once you're able to get an idea for what that is, that's often what you end up doing. Our music is about our lives and living on the road, and God is a big part of all of it.

Drew Nix: When God gives you a gift you have to use it or it's wasted, right? The biblical things we talk about in our music are lessons that we've learned growing up. It's such complex and simple truths all wrapped into one, which makes it really easy to write about. There's victory and strife and everything else you go through in life. It leaves us thanking God at the end of each and every day for giving us another one.

It sounds like rather than faith seeping into music that it's simply been ingrained in your DNA long before you started making music?

Coleman: Exactly. We're always looking to put God above ourselves.

Nix: When I'm writing songs like "Drowning" — a song that came about when I felt like I couldn't get ahead in life because I kept slipping and falling — it's very therapeutic too.

Another example is "Devil In My Ear," which sees me dealing with a close friend and someone I considered to be family's suicide. It was our drummer's brother Jacob, who was an unofficial member of the band and one of the best musicians we knew. He took his own life in 2020, so that song was me trying to deal with that. The only thing I could come up with at the time was that the devil got in his ear because he really had it made — he was an incredible musician with a loving family around him. It just didn't make any sense to me until writing that song.

I obviously hate to hear that, but at the same time I firmly believe that one of the most beautiful things about music is the positivity that can radiate from even the most tragic of circ*mstances. It's a way to make others who've gone through similar experiences feel seen and not alone, easing the weight of the trauma that comes with it in the process. "Devil In My Ear" is a perfect example of that.

Nix: Not feeling alone, that's a huge part of it. On a related note, the song "Made By These Moments" touches on exactly what you're talking about. We go through all these horrible and beautiful things in our lives that make us who we are. It's also one of the songs that finally brings up the mood on the album as well.

Coleman: That's the beauty of this album. It starts out great a lot of times like life does. It starts with a good rock song before taking you down into the dark places that we all go to with "Drowning" and "Devil In My Ear." Then you come out of that with "I'm Still Fine" realizing "Oh crap, I'm down in the valley but I'm still fine because God's still got me" ahead of rejoicing with "On My Knees," and realizing that getting through all these bad things is what makes us stronger with "Made By These Moments." Closing out the album with a perfect ending is "God Does," a gentle reminder that even though you may not think something is possible, God does.

It's like a roller coaster ride to redemption.

Coleman: Addiction and survival, too — all of it.

You mentioned "Drowning" a moment ago, which is one of my favorites on the record due to both its message and Brandon's high-powered vocals — particularly during its chorus — that remind me a lot of Chris Stapleton. It's a little bit country, blues and rock with a heck of a lot of emotion.

Coleman: Thank you. "Drowning" was originally written in A, so we were singing the chorus, but it wasn't quite up there note wise. I felt like we had a lot of room to keep going up, so we walked it up to a C so it has more of that screaming vibe to it, which definitely helped the song.

It feels fitting and reminds me of when we were struggling in 2020 and 2021 and were driving for Uber. I finally scraped up $100 to get my car's oil changed. It was supposed to be free, but the place ended up charging me a $40 fee before convincing me to buy new air filters too, to which I said "go ahead" because I just can't say no. What was a $15 air filter I ended up getting charged $75 for, taking my would be free oil change up over the $100 I'd just saved up.

I remember leaving there, going back home and kicking this drawer that I'd picked up on the side of the road. I ended up breaking it and screaming at the top of my lungs, and that's what the big notes in the chorus of "Drowning" remind me of.

If it makes you feel any better I literally got my car's oil changed this morning and they got me on the upcharge for an air filter too.

Coleman: It does, but it hits a lot different when you only have $100 to your name.

Absolutely. And thankfully that's something y'all aren't having to deal with anymore. What a difference a couple years can make!

Coleman: Even going through all that, despite how hard it was, we were never hopeless. We all just looked at it as going through a battle. We still had faith in God all the way, even when it was very hard to, which was very scary and stressful. People always say to never quit and to never give up, and that's turned out to be true for us too.

That leads me to "God Does." There's a lot of rockin' tunes on this record, but that song stands out from the rest, both in its message and the stripped back format you recorded it in. Was it always your plan to compose it like that or did you ever have a plan to give it a similar treatment to the rest of this project?

Coleman: I can't speak for Drew, but that was always my idea of how it would be. Working with Dave, he has his ideas too, and in the studio they all mesh together as we figure out and create it. He changed the whole beat up on ["God Does"] and gave the song more of a waltz-y feel that completely transformed it for the better, in my opinion.

Nix: I had a country-er imagination for it when I wrote and demoed it. I bought a pedal steel about a year ago to have it go more of the country route, but the way it turned out is better than I ever imagined.

Coleman: I like the way Drew came up with it, too. I actually still have that work tape on my phone because I remember how that song helped me out during that time of uncertainty and struggling. We played a show in Baldwin County [Alabama] somewhere and were using Jacob's old bus because our's was broken down. One of its tires went flat, so we had to leave it at the venue. Drew and I returned the next day to change the tire so we could get home. It was then that Drew told me about this new song he'd just written called "God Does."

I don't know if he knew, but I was sitting there just trying to hide my tears as I listened to it because of being in that time of life of not knowing what to do and feeling hopeless. That song came along at a very good time and really changed my trajectory mentally.