Hey there, cowpokes! This time around I interview River Shook about their new album with Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, Revelations. What’s that now? Well, we get into River coming out as nonbinary, changing their name…and still touring under their given name. We’ll also talk about their growing confidence as they continue into sobriety, taking the helm as a producer for their own projects as well as Izzy Rider’s, and why their latest album Revelations kicks so much ass.

Thanks to the Nashville Scene for printing an excerpt of our conversation.

Check out John Rodney's Deers, Queers, and Carolina Twang playlist I mentioned at the end of the show.

Follow Rainbow Rodeo for news of our fundraiser (starts Monday) and support us by subscribing to our Patreon!

Howdy, cowpokes!

This is a special bonus episode of Rainbow Rodeo to celebrate two different queer country shows next week.

• The online festival Country Soul Songbook, which is pay-what-you-can. It's a great weekend of conversations and concerts that celebrate radical intersectionality in country music.
• On Friday March 15th from 12 PM - 5 PM IN AUSTIN, Meanwhile in Music presents a queer country showcase featuring Creekbed Carter Hogan, Secret Emchy Society, Ever More Nest, Paisley Fields, Jared Deck, and Austin Lucas. Please note I misread the poster and said it was from 5 PM to midnight!!!
• Then, on Sunday March 17th IN NEW YORK CITY, join me at Penny Jo's at 163rd and Broadway for the very first Rainbow Rodeo Live! The show will feature The Locksmiths, Cactus Rose/Kandia Crazyhorse, Brian Falduto, and Jackfruit

You can read more about what I've been up to on the Rainbow Rodeo newsletter

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Cidny Bullens is not just a rock'n'roll lifer -- he's a survivor. He toured with Elton John and Bob Dylan and was nominated for two Grammys for his own solo work. If you've listened to the Grease soundtrack, you've probably heard him -- but this is all before he transitioned.

Cid's been through quite a bit as well, and not just a rock and roll lifer, but also a survivor. And his recent memoir, TransElectric, Cidny talks about his journey from growing up in rural Massachusetts to New York to LA back to New York... and eventually Portland, Maine, and all the obstacles along the way: flying high In the music scene to his lows with struggling with addiction and losing his daughter and being in the closet as a trans person in the sixties and seventies without even really knowing what that meant or what the possibilities could be.

Cidny complemented the memoir with Little Pieces and put it out in 2020. So you can guess what happened there. That's why Kill Rock Stars signed Cidny and reissued the album earlier this month.

In this interview, Cindy and I talk about his life, intergenerational LGBTQ+ work, recording Little Pieces, and what's next for him.

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Track Listing

• Cidny Bullens, "Little Pieces" (3:50)
• Cidny Bullens, "Purgatory Road" (12:07)
• Cidny Bullens, "The Gender Line" (25:36)
• Mya Byrne, "Please Call Me Darling" (55:52)
• Cidny Bullens, "Call Me By My Name" (1:00:00)