Orville Peck Makes Queer Country For Everyone. On ‘Stampede,’ Stars Like Willie Nelson Join The Fun

NEW YORK — It’s not easy being an outsider in country music, but Orville Peck has built a career out of it.

On his third album, “Stampede,” his nonconformist mentality led to collaborations with Willie Nelson, Elton John, Mickey Guyton, and Kylie Minogue.

When the South African musician published his debut album, “Pony,” in 2019, there was little information about him. Peck, a country singer with a rich baritone more reminiscent of outlaws like Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings than anything on modern radio, disguised his identity (Peck is a pseudonym) and face beneath a mask.

Orville Peck Makes Queer Country For Everyone. On ‘Stampede,’ Stars Like Willie Nelson Join The Fun

A huge strip of leather covered his entire forehead down to the nasal bridge, while the rest of his face was hidden beneath a large Stetson and a foot of cascading fringe. As his public profile grew and he released new music, Peck gradually removed the mask. Now, as he prepares to release his duet’s album “Stampede,” only the hat and eye mask remain.

“I think it’s sort of in parallel with my confidence,” he jokes. “When I first started — my first album — I really needed the mask.”

It takes some confidence to release a duet album. Each song is an entirely new partnership, a completely undiscovered creative exercise, and a balancing act. “Every single song is me, 50%, and then 50% the other artist,” according to him. “It’s been a long tradition in the country to perform duets and duos.” “You know, I think of Johnny Cash and June Carter, Gramme Parsons and Emmylou Harris,” he continues, implying that such an album will appear later in his career.

“But then when Willie asked me to do (the song) ‘Cowboys,’ I thought, ‘Oh, is this maybe the right moment?'” So I asked Elton, Kylie, and so on.”

A fantasy purchase that did not pan out? Dolly Parton.

In the instance of Nelson, Peck is referring to Ned Sublette’s 1981 queer country cult classic “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other,” which Nelson covered in 2006 and is an infrequent feature of Peck’s live set. When Nelson and Peck performed at a festival together a few years back, the country star brought Peck onboard his tour van for coffee and suggested they re-record the song as a duet. He told Peck, “It’s more important now than ever,” Peck remembers.

“I think the fact that he wanted to do this particular song with me, and the fact that his reasoning behind it was in support, and motivated in the encouragement of LGBTQ people, I mean, it’s like the most validating thing ever.” Later, they would shoot a music video for the duet at Nelson’s Luck Ranch in Texas.

Non-traditional duets and covers appear throughout “Stampede.” There’s “Papa Was a Rodeo,” a bluegrass cover of the Magnetic Fields’ indie rock tune, now performed by Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway. There’s an homage to Sin City, “Death Valley High,” with Beck, who told the Associated Press that the song was inspired by “Elvis in Vegas,” which is Vegas by way of Memphis. It’s quite different from Sinatra Vegas.”

There’s also “Midnight Ride,” a disco ballad featuring Kylie Minogue and Diplo, which the trio performed live at a Pride event in Los Angeles in June.

“I’ve learnt over the years how important visibility is,” Peck explains. “Bringing something that’s really joyful and inclusive.”

Peck feels most at ease being an outsider. “Country radio — country with a capital C — it’s sort of its own thing,” adds the man. “You have to do a lot of kissing babies and shaking hands to kind of play the Nashville game.” And it’s not something I’ve ever been interested in doing.

Orville Peck Makes Queer Country For Everyone. On ‘Stampede,’ Stars Like Willie Nelson Join The Fun

“I just want to have my music and my art speak for itself, and I don’t feel like I need to go kiss asses in Nashville to be accepted and be validated,” the musician said.

“I understand how country I am. I got to work with wonderful luminaries such as Willie Nelson and Tanya Tucker, all of whom I grew up idolising and who love me. So, that’s sufficient validation for me. And if I’m not on top 40 radio in country music, that’s good with me.”

SOURCE | AP