Country Queer

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Nashville: Celebrate NYE With Ty Herndon, Shelly Fairchild, More

By Dale Henry Geist

The first annual Toast the Rainbow party at City Winery promises to be the premiere queer event in Nashville this New Year’s Eve. Or should we say, two events?

The evening kicks off with a Writer’s Round dinner show, featuring top-shelf singer-songwriters Autumn Nicholas, Lila McCann, and Chris Housman, before segueing into the big party, hosted by Miss Kennedy Ann, featuring queer country stars Shelly Fairchild, Ty Herndon, and “special guests”(!)

Says Fairchild, “I love having fans that feel like family and having a safe space to do the things I love the most: singing and performing. Let’s Toast the Rainbow as one big happy family!”

The Writer’s Round starts at 6pm, with Housman, McCann, and Nicholas taking turns swapping songs. You can expect to hear five to seven of their best in this intimate acoustic show. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 the day of the show; you can purchase them here.

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When asked what attracted her to this gig, Nicholas said, “Sharing space with my community. It has become a matter of holding onto who we are and what we love. Being able to do all that together is the reason why Toast The Rainbow is important to me.”

Starting at 9pm, the party heats up with a blowout show hosted by Nashville’s renowned drag performer Miss Kennedy Ann. Hitmaker and frequent Grand Ole Opry guest Shelly Fairchild brings her rock-and-soul inflected brand of country to the stage, practically daring you to keep your butt in the seat.

Fairchild is followed by queer country pioneer Ty Herndon. Herndon, the first male country star to come out as gay, will be busting out the hits.

Herdon says, “It’s been a tough year for a lot of LGBTQ people across the country, and I’m so proud to join this event designed to celebrate us, honor our stories and our identities, and close out 2022 with joy and love.”

Fairchild confirms, “Ty and I cannot wait to spend New Year’s Eve at City Winery as part of Toast the Rainbow. We’ve created an amazing night with great friends, fantastic music and lots of surprises.”

General admission tickets for the party are $55 in advance, $60 the day of the show. For $100, you can have a VIP experience that includes a pre-show meet-and-greet with Shelly and Ty, a swag bag, and other goodies. Get your tickets here.

Toast the Rainbow is a production of RNBW Queer Music Collective and eQuality Events. It is made possible, in part, by sponsors including OpenPlay, 1565 Print Company, VEVA Collect, and Taylor Guitars.