Chris Housman is a multi-faceted musician and boundary-breaking singer-songwriter who lives by the mantra “y’all means all.” Hailed by The Tennessean as “one of Nashville’s most authentically soulful singer-songwriters” and praised by Billboard for giving a voice to “outcasts in the genre,” Housman is helping lead a powerful shift toward inclusivity and truth in storytelling.
Raised on a farm outside the tiny rural town of Hanston, Kansas (population 200), the stage was set early for Housman to chase big dreams. At just seven years old, he began performing in his family band, teaching himself to play the fiddle and soaking in the magic of making music. That early spark evolved into extraordinary versatility—he now sings and plays guitar, piano, upright bass, saxophone, drums, banjo, spoons, and even placed 5th in the world at an International Whistling Competition. “I love picking up an instrument with no idea what im doing, it opens up an entirely different world of sound and inspiration for me."
Dubbed as “the ‘gayme-changer’ the country music field needed,” by USA Today, his critically acclaimed debut album Blueneck was a bold and proud introduction to his sharp songwriting, musical dexterity, and unwavering commitment to his story. The title track debuted at #1 on the iTunes Country chart, #4 on the iTunes all-genre chart, and #16 on the Billboard Digital Sales chart, with the album amassing over 7 million streams so far.
“Regarding 'Blueneck,’ it’s not a coincidence that the song that is the most authentic and kind of my identity song about my story, that’s the thing that resonated the most. It was so validating, I can’t even express what that did for me.”
The project offers a poignant, witty reflection of his true identity, which is delivered with hooks as compelling as the message behind them. Rolling Stone called the title track "a defiant anthem of staying true to your heart in the face of a world that tells you to dim your shine,” while Billboard also stated the project "melds a ’90s country sound with songs that reflect Housman’s own truths and journey.”
As he looks ahead at this new chapter, Housman hopes to create songs that he wishes he had heard when growing up. Undeniably country, harkening back to his days on his family’s farm, this new collection of music will further cement his place in the genre.
“I see this massive gap missing in the genre, and I see that as an opportunity to grow the genre more. I’ve always loved country; I think Lainey [Wilson] said this at an award show, that she was waiting for country to love her back, and I truly felt that.”
Housman’s music breathes life into his truth, telling stories that resonate across genre lines while serving as a beacon of representation for the LGBTQ+ community and his organic following of over 300k online followers.
Rooted in lived experience and honesty, he continues to write and perform songs that have become a safe space for all country fans, especially those who have long felt unseen. “I don’t see any reason why anyone should feel excluded from anything, let alone a genre a music,” he says of his vision for his legacy. “Country music is so incredibly powerful and healing, it should be for everyone”.
