At the Dry Creek Grange Hall

Produced by Doug Stevens and Patrick Haggerty in the summer of 2004.

Who is Patrick Haggerty? First Patrick was my friend. I loved him and I miss him. At some point in 1999 (I think it was the fall) when I was still Doug Stevens, The Country Music Hall of Fame called me. Chrissy Dickinson, wanted to interview me for the Country Music Hall of Fame’s magazine. She stated at one point that she wanted to induct me in the Country Music Hall of Fame, since I was the first openly gay person to make a country recording using gender-specific lyrics. I told her, “I’m sorry, but I’m not the first gay person to make a recording of gender specific lyrics in a country song.”

When I still lived in New York City, my drummer, Richard Dworkin told me that he’d found a recording made in 1972, by Patrick Haggerty. The album was called, Lavender Country.

So, I told Chrissy Dickinson that Patrick Haggerty made the first country recording with LGBT, gender specific lyrics. I had the album cover so I gave her the phone number on the album cover from 1972. Lo and behold, Patrick had the same phone number he had then. So, Patrick and his husband JB came down to Oakland, CA to see me, and Patrick was inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Later he toured with a newly created Lavender country band and gained quite a following.

We should all hope to have a death as beautiful as the one Patrick had. In October 2022, Patrick was flying with his husband, JB, returning home from a flight to the east. Patrick was looking out the window of the plane at the volcanoes and mountains in western Washington state. He said, “What a beautiful view.” He then had a stroke. He never recovered and died several days later.

At the Dry Creek Grange Hall, 2004:

Doug Stevens – vocals

Patrick Haggerty – vocals, guitar

Mary Burnley – vocals, bass *

Calvin Keaoola – fiddle, backup vocals

Mark Newstetter – Guitar, Back vocals

Mary Burnley plays the Clevinger upright bass and the Novax five-string bass guitar

Recorded and mastered at Bell Boy Studios – Richmond, California

Engineers: David Bell, Nino Moshella

Photography: Theo Parker, Mike Haggerty

1. All Disillusions Behind (Patrick)
2. St. Louis Man (Doug)
3. Sweet Sufferin’ (Mary)
4. Aunt Alice (Doug)
5. Red Dress (Patrick)
6. One Night in Vegas (Doug)
7. Blue Skirt Waltz (Patrick)
8. Waitin’ for a Train (sung by Doug)
9. All Day Sangin’ (Doug)
10. Weepin’ Willow (sung by Mary)
11. The Lament of a Wyoming Housewife (Patrick)
12. Walkin’ after Midnight (sung by Mary)

St. Louis Man, Aunt Alice, One Night in Vegans, All Day Sangin’ words and music by Doug Stevens

All Disillusions Behind, Red Dress, Blue Skirt Waltz, Weepin’ Willow, The Lament of a Wyoming Housewife (Adapted from the olde English folk tune “Housewife’s Lament.”) words and music by Patrick Haggerty

Sweet Sufferin’ words and music by Mary Burnley

Waiting for a Train, words and music by Jimmie rodgers (BMI)

Walkin’ After Midnight, words and music by Don Hecht and Alan Block (BMI)