It’s a veritable homo hoedown. Thousands of country gays descend again for Atlanta Pride, and with gay Country crooner Steve Grand on stage, a gay storyline on “Nashville” and the cuties in this new video, they’ve never been in better company.

Being rural and gay is so in right now. And not just in music and on TV. A study says the real-life LGBT OTPs – Outside the Perimeter in Atlanta – are happier than city gays by a country mile. Shoot y’all, even the 2010 census shows more gays in rural Georgia counties than urban ones.

But even if you were country when Country wasn’t cool, there’s a lot to be thankful for in mainstream America. Sure, “O.C.” alum Chris Carmack’s Will Lexington is still a closeted (albeit sexy as hell) singer on ABC’s hit drama “Nashville,” but it’s a sign of progress that the show is acknowledging the issue at all.

All the way out, gay Atlanta's own Brian Sharp hits the Pride stage on Saturday, and gay Atlanta native Sonia Leigh on Sunday. Openly studly singer Steve Grand made a splash as the “first openly gay Country singer” this summer – sorry, k.d. lang – and makes the most of it on Bravo and with his Atlanta Pride set on Saturday evening. Look for Grand's perfect Pride anthem, his “All American Boy” breakout hit, and yeah his amazing body.

Until then, we extend a welcome to regional visitors by way of the Paisley Fields band, which is making gay Country as far away as – perish the thought – New York City! They put the male pronouns where their mouths are and a gay sex twist on their new stand-by-your-man single called “Windows Fogged Up in Your Pickup Truck” (video above). Whether you live here fulltime or are just visiting, tap your toe and make yourself at home.