This article traces the life of Patrick Haggerty, widely credited as the first openly gay country singer, and the story behind Lavender Country, his 1973 self-titled album now recognised as the first openly gay country music record. It matters because the album, and Haggerty's openness at a time of widespread hostility towards LGBTQ+ people, laid groundwork later acknowledged by mainstream country and queer artists, and its rediscovery decades later helped cement his place in music history.

Born in 1944, Haggerty was encouraged by his father not to hide who he was, came out publicly in 1969 after the Stonewall riots, and formed Lavender Country in Seattle in 1972. Only 1,000 copies of the album were pressed and sold mainly by mail order, and the band's 1973 song "Cryin' These C*cksucking Tears" led to a Seattle DJ losing her job and broadcasting licence after playing it on air. The band dissolved by 1976 and faded from view until a 1999 magazine mention sparked renewed interest, culminating in a 2014 reissue and later collaborations with artists such as Orville Peck and Trixie Mattel.