Buried Treasure, June 26

Dawn Riding, Secret Emchy Society, Donny Crosswell

by Adeem Bingham, Editor

Happy Saturday, y’all!

While the swarm of cicadas seems to be settling here in East Tennessee, the sticky summer is in full swing. I have seen now 6 or 7 bears wandering the Smoky Mountains this season with their lazy saunter and have had no less than 2 birds occupy the backyard with their nests.

As for me, I’ve been finding little existential spots of my own to nest; absolutely obsessing over the new Allison Russel album and beginning to dig into the new Amythyst Kiah record that just arrived in the post this week. I also went to my first big concert back and caught American Aquarium at the Basement East in Nashville where they gave out a uniquely emotional face melting. 

Now to the good news! I am missing the early days of Buried Treasure where the world was shut down and this was my only weekly obligation but I’ve been digging around and I’m really excited about the offerings this week. We’ve got a new premiere from our good friends in the Secret Emchy Society, a lovely little love song from Dawn Riding, and an eccentric new obsession in Donny Crosswell.

Drink lots of water- more than you think you need.

Ol’ Deemie

Dawn Riding

Dawn Riding is a killer little trio with immeasurable heart. Based in Oakland, their new album “The Light” is marked by tight harmonies, ambient swells, and unrefined grit. Heartening to Lucinda Williams, they straddle the line between folk-punk and Americana, staggering heavily in either direction on occasion but always with grace and intention. The new music video for “Love Song” offers snapshots of love in all of its many expressions with unapologetic celebration of the diversity of the human experience. 

Secret Emchy Society

Cindy Emch is a fellow Oakland songwriter which is just a strange coincidence. She’s a longtime friend and matriarch of Country Queer who is as prolific a writer as she is supportive of others in the scene. We are very excited to be premiering a new song from her band called “The Chaser” with a darling lyric video. I am especially enjoying how Cindy has taken this classic honky-tonk styling and set the scene in Brooklyn “with an old glass of wine.” Check out the video below!

Donny Crosswell

I don’t know a lot about Donny Crosswell. I read about him on Parton & Pearl, which is a Canadian music publication I really enjoy. The only website I could really find on him was his Instagram, which is full of salacious and sexy silliness. Struggled to determine if he was a comedy act or a sex symbol but resolved that he’s both. He just released an extended dance remix of his song “There’s Just Something About That Tennessee Whiskey” for Pride Month, and it’s pretty fun even if the video is recorded in Toronto.

“Buried Treasure” is your weekly guide to under-the-radar queer artists in country, Americana, and folk. Know an artist who should be included? Contact us!