Tommy Atkins Honors Loving Parents of Queer Children

Atkins Teams with Rissi Palmer on New Single, “It Took a Woman”

By Will Groff, Staff Writer

UK-based country artist Tommy Atkins is kicking off pride month with a new single titled “It Took a Woman,” featuring Rissi Palmer. Atkins has described the song, an ode to his husband’s grandmother, as “a love letter to all parents who treat their LGBTQ+ children with love and respect.”

Atkins, who made history last year with the first ever country radio hit in Europe and the UK to feature overtly gay lyrics, has a talent for breathing fresh, queer life into well-worn country themes. There’s a timeless quality to his lyrics that belies the subtly groundbreaking nature of the material.

Atkins is also the host of Proud to Be Country, a show on ARC radio that showcases LGBTQ+ country artists around the world. For her part, Palmer is a tireless advocate for diversity in country music and the host of Color Me Country on Apple Radio. This song is but one example of the important work both artists are doing to turn country music into a space where everyone’s voices are heard.