Originally published at Ongoing History of Protest Music
Back in 1973, Seattle singer-songwriter Patrick Haggerty released what is widely considered to
be the first gay-themed country album under the moniker Lavender Country.
At the time only 1000 copies of the self-titled album were printed. In later years, the album generated interest among music journalists, historians, and record collectors. The resulted in a reissue of the album in 2014 by the Paradise of Bachelors label.
Haggerty also went on a nationwide tour, introducing a new generation to music that was previously buried in the dust bin of obscurity.
In 2019, Haggerty finally released his sophomore album, “Blackberry Rose.” The album received even wider recognition after Don Giovanni Records reissued it.
As an openly gay artist in a genre associated with conservativism, the simple act of making music was already a political statement, and even more so in the 1970s. But Haggerty took it further by not shying away from including bold messages in his lyrics.
Considering his role as a groundbreaker, it is appropriate that his latest album pays tribute to radical feminist Clara Fraser. Like Haggerty, Fraser was a staunch Marxist who spoke out on behalf of the oppressed.
In “Clara Fraser, Clara Fraser” he takes on the role of a villainous strike breaker who opposes fair labor practices and gender equality.
Listen to “Clara Fraser, Clara Fraser” by Lavender Country:
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