These gay, twangy twins are diversifying country music one bop at a time
Lil Nas X stamped country with his pink cowboy flair on “Old Town Road” back in 2019, and it’s only continued to grow from there.Of course, the chart domination of “Old Town Road” didn’t kick off gays in country, folk, and Americana; Brandi Carlile has been running the folk side of the Grammys for years, and the late, great Patrick Haggerty was making Americana gay with Lavender Country was back in the ’70s.When it comes to broadening the scope of country, few acts are doing it like the Kentucky Gentlemen.
These openly gay Black country-singing twins are broadening the genre with nothing but good tunes and good looks.Just look at the material:A post shared by The Kentucky Gentlemen (@thekygentlemen)Led by the late, great Patrick Haggerty, Seattle-based Americana band Lavender Country was queer unity in musical form.Born and raised in Versailles, Kentucky, twins Brandon and Derek Campbell have been singing together for fun from the very beginning.
From church choir to making up songs with their older brother, their voices were as in tune as they are.“I remember us never having to practice sounding good together,” Derek recalls on their website. “We just sang together, and it worked.”While the music may have come easily, the country music industry has been anything but.“It’s a lot for people to witness two grown Black men – who happen to have some muscles and look good – walk in a room and stand in their truth,” Brandon tells WSMV.
