While it’s not uncommon to hear strong traces of country in the folk music of lesbian musicians such as Diana Jones or the aforementioned Sera Cahoone, it’s been less so when it comes to gay male artists. So, here’s a trend I bet you didn’t see coming! Sam Gleaves, an openly gay folk singer from Appalachia, and Tyler Hughes, a gay man who “grew up in the buckle of the Bible Belt.” The self-titled album by Sam Gleaves & Tyler Hughes (Community Music) is steeped in the tradition of duet singing, a reflection of the pair’s Southwest Virginia roots. Particularly noteworthy is Hughes’ “When We Love”, a song (and potential anthem) that brings traditional music firmly into the 21st century. The same can be said for the cover of Ola Belle Reed’s “Tear Down The Fences”.