Patrick Haggerty, the proud queer frontman of the country band Lavender Country, has died. He was 78.
Lavender Country's official Instagram Page confirmed Haggerty's passing, saying he passed away on Monday at his home. It did not disclose what exactly his cause of death was, but the group noted that he suffered a stroke a few weeks ago.
"This morning, we lost a great soul. RIP Patrick Haggerty. After suffering a stroke several weeks ago, he was able to spend his final days at home surrounded by his kids and lifelong husband, JB. Love, and solidarity," the caption reads.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that stroke is the leading cause of death in the US, although the number of cases has declined in the past years. People with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes are more prone to suffering from the condition.
Details about his funeral and memorial services are still unknown to the public.
Colleagues and fans paid tribute to Haggerty after learning about his death, sharing their time with the late singer.
We are absolutely devastated to learn of the passing of the original country queer: the fiery, the brilliant, the fabulous, the GREAT Patrick Haggerty, Mr. #LavenderCountry himself.
— Country Queer (@CountryQueer1) October 31, 2022
Your courage and passion continues to inspire, my friend. Our love goes out to your loved ones. pic.twitter.com/9PMuPwfSXI
Remembering Patrick Haggerty
The Washington native developed a love for music at a young age. He taught himself how to play the guitar and performed on several local stages before joining the Peace Corps. when he was in college.
However, he was ousted from the group for being gay.
With that, he strived hard to work by himself and develop his skills after attending a graduate program at the University of Washington. This led him to create Lavender Country in 1972.
The following year, Haggerty and his bandmates released their self-titled album with the help of the Gay Community Social Services of Seattle.
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In 1974, Lavender Country marked its first-ever Seattle Pride event. But despite its success, the members decided to break up two years later.
After his stint with the band, Haggerty dedicated his life to being an activist while collaborating with different bands.
He scored a chance to play with Lavender Country again when the band reunited in 2000 and 2014. In 2019, it released its first new album in 50 years, "Blackberry Rose and Other Songs and Sorrows."
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