Production Details

Inclusive Country Music
Equal parts Leonard Cohen, Lucinda Williams, Billy Bragg, and Waylon Jennings, Secret Emchy Society embraces the boot-stomping, heart-breaking duality of California Country music. Recognized by TheBoot.com among the Top Ten Queer Country Bands, this quadruple nominee for Best Live Band in the Bay delivers a rebellious, authentic honky-tonk experience that challenges modern country norms.

Partes iguales de Leonard Cohen, Lucinda Williams, Billy Bragg y Waylon Jennings, Secret Emchy Society abraza la hermosa tradición de la música country de California. Reconocida por TheBoot.com entre las diez mejores bandas de country queer, esta cuádruple nominada a Mejor banda en vivo de la Bahía ofrece una experiencia de honky tonk auténtica y rebelde que desafía las normas del country moderno.

Secret Emchy Society
Secret Emchy Society has been named by TheBoot.com as one of the Ten Queer Country Bands for Real Country Music Fans to Listen To, a quadruple nominee for Best Live Band by the Bay Area Reporter, and is featured in the documentary Lavender Outlaws.

'First Lady of Queer Country' Cindy Emch is known for her distinct voice and ability to blend Americana, California Country, Hellbilly, Goth, and Honky Tonk. NoDepression says "One could describe Emch as if Nick Cave had grown up in Bakersfield with a dynamic swagger that could part the Red Sea."

Artist Biographies

Cindy Emch (Vocals)
Cindy Emch founded the band Secret Emchy Society and is a queer musician based out of Oakland, CA. She was the founding editor of Country Queer and host of Gimme Country’s popular Emchy’s Outlaw Americana show. She produced multiple National Queer Arts Festival showcases, performed at Pride festivals in Brooklyn, Austin, and in Gold Country, and shared lineups with Lavender Country, Joy Clark, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Vandoliers, Paisley Fields, Adeem the Artist, Amythyst Kiah, and more. Her band is currently working on their fifth full length studio album.

Hans Winold (Bass)
In addition to being a musician, Hans is also a trapeze instructor, and occasional rescue kitten parent in Berkeley, CA. He has performed with Shadow Circus, Thrillpeddlers, and been in the bands Vagabondage, Bug, Front Junk, and 5 Cent Coffee.

Clint Cleveland (Guitar)
Clint is a musical omnivore devoted to classic country and american folk traditions ranging from zydeco to hip hop. In addition to playing guitar, he tinkers maniacally with modular synthesizers and custom-built recording gear in West Oakland.

Tommy Salami (Drums)
Tommy Salami is a multi-instrumentalist, third generation musician, and theater nerd living in the North Bay. Currently drumming for Secret Emchy Society, he has also played with local camp country legends Velvetta, and was active in the queer theater troupe Thrillpeddlers.