In 2015, Keith Hill likened country radio to a salad, with male artists as the “lettuce” and female artists as the “tomato garnish” – implying that back-to-back female artists should be avoided on the radio and sprinkled in sparingly. This sparked a massive outrage (dubbed “TomatoGate”) and highlighted the reality that there was a significant gap in female representation within country radio. These comments drew attention to the issue of gender inequality and various t-shirts emerged bearing slogans such as “Let the Tomatoes Play.” Frustrated by the ceiling women experienced in the industry, Amanda Shires reached out to Brandi Carlile, who together recruited Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby to form a supergroup they named The Highwomen. Rooted in coalition rather than competition for the “one slot” on the radio, their name directly spoke to the legendary supergroup called The Highwaymen (Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson), who represented the ultimate “outlaw boys club.” Claiming their own outlaw status, The Highwomen grounded themselves in radical inclusion rather than rugged individualism, writing an anthem that offered a vision of what the world could look like. They used the metaphor of the “table” as a symbol for bringing a diverse group of people together. By insisting on a “crowded” table, they rejected a scarcity mindset that the music industry tries to force on marginalized artists. As a song of joyful resistance, it struck a nerve in the music industry, and it quickly became an anthem for chosen families, LGBTQIA+ communities, and grassroots organizers. The song invites us to sow the seeds of community and create room at the table for all.