Man Behind World's First Gay Country Album Dies At 78

Country music has lost the trailblazer behind one incredibly bold album for its time with the death of Patrick Haggerty. Haggerty became known as a leader in the effort to diversify country music.

Back in March NewsChannel 5 met Haggerty at a gig in Chattanooga. He was touring Tennessee with music he'd recorded nearly 50 years ago. It was music Haggerty never thought the world would hear. “What was unique about it is it was the world's first gay country album,” said Haggerty.

Haggerty grew up on a dairy farm in Washington. His family knew he was gay, and they loved and accepted him. He said problems came later. When working for the Peace Corps, his sexuality was discovered. “Next day I was on a plane to Washington, DC, to be processed out,” said Haggerty. “It was that fast. That event changed my life.”

When Haggerty began recording Lavender Country, it was a few years before the gay community found refuge in the late 1970s disco scene. Haggerty's inspiration was music born in far quieter spaces.

The release of Lavender Country also came just a few years after the Stonewall riots. Haggerty was ready to make a statement. “One of the basic principles of coming out was, ‘don't shut up,’” he said. “Everybody was shocked by it,” Haggerty remembered. “It was outrageous.”

“The very idea we'd have an actual out, gay artist on the radio at that time, it probably would have raised Nashville up like an earthquake!” laughed country singer Ty Herndon, in an interview in March. “What a brave, brave man.”

Haggerty knew releasing Lavender Country would mean giving up on moving to Nashville and any ambition of ending up on the Hot Country Billboard chart. “But I chose to come out,” he said. “Lavender Country had no chance for commercial success, and so, it died.”

Then, in 2014, someone uploaded a song from Lavender Country to YouTube. Suddenly, a label offered to reissue the album. “I didn't believe them until they sent me a $300 advance and the check was good!” laughed Haggerty.

After complications from a stroke, Haggerty has died at 78.

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