Brittney McKenna

I grew up with Alex Pretti The kind-hearted ICU nurse shot by ICE agents was my childhood best friend.

I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com

"You raise your voice, I erase your voice."

ICE in Minneapolis are erasing your rights.
Please share our new video of what's happening in our city. youtu.be/W1dyNcRGRXY

This is fantastic, thank you for writing it ❤️‍🩹

A Nurse Who Served Veterans Was Killed. Where You At, Country Music? I'm not going to lie to you, newsletter readers: it's hard to newsletter "normally" today, though, to be fair, I could almost say that about any day for the last near decade. Outside my window, the to...

A Nurse Who Served Veterans Was Killed. Where You At, Country Music???

Turn It Up - Bob Weir edition Charles pays tribute to the late co-founder of the Grateful Dead

At No Fences Review, @charleshughes2.bsky.social pays tribute to the late Bob Weir

BREAKING: Israeli settlers have carried out a ‘lynching’ of the co-Director of Oscar winning documentary No Other Land. Hamdan Billal has injuries in his head and stomach and is reportedly bleeding.

The Hard Quartet Turns Collaborative Energy Into Rock Magic We talk with singer-guitarist Matt Sweeney ahead of his band of well-seasoned rockers' stop at Brooklyn Bowl.

And who doesn't love a double feature? I also had the pleasure of speaking to Matt Sweeney about the Hard Quartet, making for one hell of a story pairing!

www.nashvillescene.com/music/featur...

Finding Joy: Joy Oladokun Isn’t Afraid to Speak Out After parting ways with her label, the Americana artist powers on — and will headline the Ryman March 27

"Look at our government. Anybody more famous than me that didn’t make any effort to stop this movement and culture, I hope you’re embarrassed."

A little teaser of my talk with @joyoladokun.bsky.social, which you can read in this week's @nashvillescene.com.

www.nashvillescene.com/music/covers...

Immigration detentions surge in Nashville under Trump - Nashville Banner A South Nashville man was arrested and later taken into ICE custody after being charged with public intoxication. His wife and daughter face uncertainty.

Records obtained by the Banner from the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office show a variety of alleged offenses lead to immigration detentions, making clear the stakes of a police encounter are high for undocumented Nashvillians.

Story: @iamstevenhale.bsky.social

"The richest man alive, an actual Nazi and a fucking sicko, who was not elected, is firing tens of thousands of people to further enrich himself and the president he has usurped all to make Americans' lives worse" has to be among the biggest layups of all time for messaging. And yet.

and yet you're on here being snarky to constituents who want you to do your damn job. Stop posting and go get something fucking done

One of my oldest friends lost her job at the CDC over the weekend. She is seven months pregnant with her first child and has no idea if she'll still have health insurance by the time she delivers. Not to mention that she is incredibly smart, compassionate and genuinely invested in doing great work.

Beyoncé and Chappell and Kendrick, Oh My A few things to read from some fantastic music writers

Wrote a lil love letter to some recent work from @nikostratis.com, @marissarmoss.bsky.social and @brittneymckenna.bsky.social. 😘

Two great, thoughtful perspectives on Beyoncé winning AOTY up at RS this week.

Here's another: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...

Thanks for reading and sharing, Matt!

Issue #85: Chappell Roan’s Speech Isn’t Just About Health. It’s about Equity. Same as it ever was.

On the newsletter today: Chappell Roan’s Speech Isn’t Just About Health. It’s about Equity.

www.dontrocktheinbox.com/p/issue-85-c...

thanks to @joeyblueclaw.bsky.social for hooking this one up!

The Grammys Understood Beyoncé Was Country. Why Didn't Nashville? If the Recording Academy can recognize Beyonce as country music and pivot in a relatively short period of time, what gives with Nashville?

For @rollingstone.com, I wrote about what Nashville can learn from Beyonce's big Grammy win.

www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...

All in the Family: Considering Television’s Orphan Plot The first kid I knew who didn’t live with his parents was Shawn Hunter, Cory Matthews’s best friend on Boy Meets World. Like many in the 1990s, I grew up alongside Shawn and Cory, one episode at a …

Thanks to @literaryhub.bsky.social for sharing an excerpt of perhaps my favorite chapter of THE SUN WON’T COME OUT TOMORROW and certainly the most fun one to write—on ‘90s and ‘00s TV representstions of foster care and orphanhood lithub.com/all-in-the-f...

one of my favorite song openings of all time!

George Clinton, Doobie Brothers, Beach Boys’ Mike Love & More Are 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductees: Full List Here are the 2025 inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, including George Clinton, Mike Love and three members of The Doobie Brothers.

And the year Jagged Little Pill turns 30, no less. “This is the first SHOF class to include no women since 2017…The initial list of nominees included four women – Franne Golde, Sheryl Crow, Janet Jackson and Alanis Morissette – but none made it this year.” www.billboard.com/music/awards...

Haven't logged in here in a year and I'm surprised to find 1000 followers--- hello everyone! Deleted my nazi bird app account and glad to be back in the good place

Last Thursday, Fox Nation held its annual Patriot Awards at the Grand Ole Opry. Among the honorees was extremist group Moms for Liberty. I went and lived to tell the tale, and wrote about the strange and infuriating experience for Slate slate.com/business/202...

Logging Back On to say that, at the request of absolutely no one, I've started a Substack, which I promise to send sparingly. Subscribe for periodic lists of songs, books, films, articles and other things that I think are solid.

brittneymckenna.substack.com/p/hi-hello-t...

Logging Back On to say that, at the request of absolutely no one, I've started a Substack, which I promise to send sparingly. Subscribe for periodic lists of songs, books, films, articles and other things that I think are solid.

brittneymckenna.substack.com/p/hi-hello-t...

Rainbow Ruckus 7/25: Chris Housman, Jenny Owen Youngs, Lydia Loveless, and More! - Rainbow Rodeo You go away on your honeymoon for two weeks and the queer cowpokes keep cranking out amazing music! What the hell!!! That’s only a good thing, and our Rainbow Ruckus column will be a little bit long...

Need some more queer country music for your playlists? I've got you covered with Chris Housman, Nora Kelly Band, Lydia Loveless, Flamy Grant, My Sister My Brother, Alex Lahey, and @jennyowenyoungs.bsky.social

https://buff.ly/43LB17o

right?! hiding in plain sight the whole time!

such a wild and lovely story!

How Flying Burrito Brother Chris Ethridge’s Family Found His Long-Lost Nudie Suit The recently uncovered suit has been loaned to the the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's ‘Western Edge’ exhibit

In 1969, the beloved Nudie Suit Chris Ethridge wore on the cover of the Flying Burrito Brothers LP 'Gilded Palace of Sin' was stolen. Earlier this year, the suit's high-profile second life was discovered by an Ethridge family friend. I spoke with Chris's daughter Necia about the remarkable reunion.

Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway Sing of Big Dreams on ‘City of Gold’ Checking in with the lauded songsmith and picker ahead of her new LP

Molly Tuttle is a living legend and it was a lot of fun to talk to her for this week's Nashville Scene. 'City of Gold' is out today!