He hugs and tells each member of his band, “I love you.” And that’s what the country music star did at Madison Square Garden on June 20, 2023, at the opening of his “Bronco” tour. But this night was different from all the others. Just hours before the show, his team found him overdosing in his hotel room.
It was contractual because they sponsored the tour. I remember taking the shot and just looking at my band and everyone just looking at me and thinking, ‘How the hell have we ended up like this?’ It was a very dark night. It was very difficult.” It’s now a little over three years later, and a sober Peck is spending Wednesday afternoon at the Hollywood Bowl rehearsing for his headlining debut at the legendary amphitheater on Friday.
I’ve just started allowing myself to get excited, and I’m kind of freaking out now.” Friday also marks the release of his new album, “Mule,” a collection of 12 tracks (plus a prologue) that chronicles his drinking and using, his time in treatment (he actually has a song called “Rehab Blues”) and his now-sober life. Peck, who is never seen in public without a Western styled mask partially covering his face, is a trailblazer in the country music world for being an out gay artist since the start of his career. He’s become a queer icon who has collaborated with Kylie Minogue, Shania Twain and Noah Cyrus.
He made his Broadway debut playing the MC in “Cabaret.” Who else but Peck could get Willie Nelson to duet on “Cowboys Are Frequently Fond of Each Other,” a song about same-sex love and lust in the boots and Levi’s crowd? In “Ring the Bell,” Peck sings, “I love the Lakers, the Mets and the Longhorns, made out with a guy on the Raiders.” That slice of kiss-and-tell is sure to get inquiring minds digging to identify who the pro athlete is. This person would have probably allowed me to say their name if I wanted, but I didn’t think it was necessary.
People can use their own common sense and discovery to try to figure out who it may be, but that’s all I’ll say.” For the record, Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player to publicly come out as gay while playing for the Las Vegas Raiders in June 2021. Peck declines to confirm or deny Nassib was his makeout partner. Peck first performed the entire album earlier this month during both shows of a two-night run at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre.
What better therapy is there than getting up and being able to express these songs? Then there are people listening and relating, and they’re sharing their pain. It’s a spiritual experience.” Watch the video for Peck’s latest single “Already Gone” below.
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