While Lavender Country were little known outside the Pacific Northwest and only released one self-distributed album, in their time, they created a genuine cultural milestone -- the first collection of openly gay-themed country songs. Founder Patrick Haggerty was a teenager when the folk revival of the late '50s and early '60s swept the nation, and he began performing at coffeehouses and talent shows. He moved to Seattle a year after the Stonewall uprisings launched the gay liberation movement, and became involved with Gay Community Social Services of Seattle (GCSSS). His songs reflected his own experiences as well as the political and social concerns of the gay community, which led to him forming Lavender Country in 1972. The group cut a self-titled album in 1973. In time, Lavender Country sold out its initial pressing of 1,000 copies, but they never pressed a second edition and effectively disbanded in 1976.