File



 



1920: popularity Mamie Smith’s “Crazy Blues” led to an explosion in blues music, especially among female singers Ma Rainey: “Prove It On Me Blues” Bessie Smith: vaudeville performances, race records Lyrics laced with double entendres



 

1935: Lucille Bogan (Bessie Jackson) – “B.D. Woman’s Blues” Popularity of blues declined in the 1940s Visibility of queer artists also declined during that time



1920s-50s: Cole Porter › “I Get A Kick Out of

You” › “Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall In Love” 

1930s – 1980s: Liberace › Flamboyant pianist › Strongly denied being

gay, frequently sued people who accused him of being gay



1930s – 1990s: Frances Fay: jazz, cabaret, showtune singer › “My name is

Frances—I’m very gay, gay, gay” › Numerous double entendres in lyrics 

Peter Allen: Liza Minnelli's ex husband



Billy Tipton: jazz musician › Assigned female at

birth › Lived as a man throughout his music career (some say because of sexism in music industry) 

Rufus Wainwright: heavily influenced by Cole Porter



Johnny Mathis: active since the 50s, came out as gay in 1982 › “Wonderful, Wonderful” › Christmas songs › Obnoxious vibrato



Dusty Springfield: openly bisexual › “I Only Want To Be With

You” › “What Have I Done To Deserve This?”

Laura Nyro: wrote songs for Barbra Streisand, The 5th Dimension, many more  Elton John  1980s: explosion of gay pop & new wave artists 

› › › › › ›

Boy George (Culture Club) George Michael (Wham!) Pet Shop Boys Erasure The Smiths B-52s



Jill Sobule: “I Kissed A Girl” (1996) › “Supermodel” from

Clueless › Pink Pearl  



Lance Bass came out in 2006 Rise of Lady Gaga & Born This Way domination Adam Lambert



 

1939: “Lavender Cowboy” by Vernon Dalhart, banned from the radio 1973: Lavender Country released debut album k.d. lang: Canadian country singer › Came out as gay in

1992, not well received in the U.S. 

2010: Chely Wright came out

 

 



1972: Joan Baez came out after ending her marriage Bernice Johnson Reagon: lead member of Sweet Honey (all women’s a cappella group) Indigo Girls: both openly gay, strong queer fanbase Lilith Fair: Sarah McLachlan’s all women’s summer tour, 1997-99 & 2010 Anne DiFranco: “poster dyke”, radical queer?





1950s – present: constant speculation about Little Richard’s sexuality 1970s – present: David Bowie › Rise of glam rock › Androgynous

 

1970s-1990s: Freddie Mercury Lou Reed › “Walk on the Wild Side” › The Velvet

Underground



Janis Joplin: bisexual woman, prominent figure in rock music › “Me and Bobby McGee” › “Piece of My Heart” › Joplin & Juanita Green

placed a stone on Bessie Smith’s previously unmarked grave 

Joan Jett: lead member of The Runaways › “I Love Rock N’ Roll”



Linda Perry: 4 Non Blondes › “What’s Up”



Riot grrrl movement › Sleater-Kinney › The Butchies

Michael Stipe of R.E.M. is openly bisexual  Melissa Etheridge: came out in 1993 

› “Come To My Window” › “I’m The Only One”

Sigur Ros: lead singer Jonsi is openly gay  Laura Jane Grace: lead singer/guitarist of Against Me!, came out as trans in 2012 

Largely centered in urban areas, with visible gay & lesbian communities  The Village People: parodied gay stereotypes, sold over 65 million records  Grace Jones: androgynous model & disco star 

› “I Need A Man” › “Pull Up to the Bumper” 

Sylvester › “You Make Me Feel

(Mighty Real) 

RuPaul: “Supermodel”

Openly and viciously homophobic lyrics  Hypermasculinity (and homoeroticism)  Irony of “swag”  Queer hip-hop artists  Rise of sissy bounce from southern hip-hop  Azealia Banks  Caushun  Nicky Da B  Le1f  Mykki Blanco  House of LaDosha 



Teddy Prendergrass › Caught with a trans

woman after a car accident 

Eddie Murphy › Found with a trans

female prostitute 

Luther Vandross › Media constantly

speculated his sexuality 

Frank Ocean: came out as bisexual in 2012

 

  

Openly homophobic lyrics Artists frequently promote queer bashing & murder in their songs Beenie Man Elephant Man Buju Banton



The Radio Dept.: Swedish shoegaze & dream pop band › “Keen On Boys” about a

straight-identified man sleeping with a gay man 

The Knife: Swedish electronic duo › Shaking The Habitual

covers current topics in queer theory 

Perfume Genius: openly gay singer-songwriter › Many songs about his

experiences as a young gay prostitute & his battles with drug addiction







 

Rostam Batmanglij: Vampire Weekend & Discovery Owen Pallett: composer, singer, violinist from Arcade Fire & solo career Amanda Palmer: The Dresden Dolls, solo career Tegan & Sara The Hidden Cameras