Chely Wright (born Richell Rene Wright; October 25, 1970)
is an American
activist
Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...
,
author
An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states:
"''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...
and
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
artist. She initially rose to fame as a commercial country recording artist with several charting singles, including the number one hit, "
Single White Female
''Single White Female'' is a 1992 American psychological erotic thriller film based on John Lutz's 1990 novel ''SWF Seeks Same''. It stars Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh and was directed by Barbet Schroeder.
Plot
New York City software d ...
." She later became known for her role in
LGBT activism
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) movements are social movements that advocate for LGBT people in society. Some focus on equal rights, such as the ongoing movement for same-sex marriage, while others focus on liberation, as in the ...
after publicly
coming out
Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBT people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity.
Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of ...
. She has since sold over 1,500,000 copies and 10,000,000 digital impressions to date in the United States.
Raised in Kansas, Wright developed aspirations to become a country singer and songwriter. Yet, as a young child, she discovered her
homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
and realized it conflicted with her
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
faith and her hopes of becoming a performer. Determined to become successful, she vowed to hide her sexuality and continued performing. Wright moved to
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
, following high school graduation and was cast in stage productions at the now-defunct
Opryland USA
Opryland USA (later called Opryland Themepark and colloquially "Opryland") was a theme park in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally (generally March to October) from 1972 to 1997, and for a special Christmas-themed engagement eve ...
amusement park. She eventually signed her first recording contract in 1993 with
PolyGram
PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...
/
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...
and released two albums. With limited success, Wright switched record labels and had her first hit with 1997's "
Shut Up and Drive
"Shut Up and Drive" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her third studio album, ''Good Girl Gone Bad'' (2007). It was written by Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Gillian Gilbert, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers while the producti ...
." It was followed in 1999 with "Single White Female," and a gold-certified album of the
same name.
At her commercial zenith, Wright continued living a closeted life and became increasingly unhappy. She engaged in a long-term relationship with a woman but ultimately separated at the risk of being outed by members of the Nashville community. In 2006, Wright began suffering an emotional collapse and nearly took her own life. She then realized she needed to come out publicly and started working on projects that would help her come to terms with her sexuality. In 2010, Wright released the memoir, ''
Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer,'' and the album, ''
Lifted Off the Ground
''Lifted Off the Ground'' is the seventh studio album from singer-songwriter Chely Wright. The album was released on April 30, 2010 and coincided with the release of her first memoir, ''Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer''. Within ...
.'' Both projects centered around her coming out process and the acceptance of herself.
Wright became involved in LGBT activism following her 2010 decision. During that time she moved to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
and released a documentary which chronicled her coming out titled, ''
Wish Me Away.'' She would later establish a charity "Like Me," which helped provide assistance to LGBT youth. She has since been a spokesperson for programs such as
GLSEN
GLSEN (pronounced ''glisten''; formerly the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) is an American education organization working to end discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expres ...
and other activism-related programs. Wright would also marry and have two children. Wright also continued her music career, but transitioned more towards
Americana
Americana may refer to:
*Americana (music), a genre or style of American music
*Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States
Film, radio and television
* ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
and
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fol ...
. She has since released 2016's ''
I Am the Rain
''I Am the Rain'' is the eighth studio album released by singer-songwriter Chely Wright. The album was released via MRI/Sony/Painted Red Records on September 9, 2016 after being funded by fans through a Kickstarter campaign which was launched in Se ...
'' and 2019's ''Revival.''
Early life
Wright was born in
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
, in 1970, and was raised in the nearby community of
Wellsville, Kansas
Wellsville is a city in Franklin County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,953.
History
Wellsville was platted in 1870. The community was named after D.L. Wells, a railroad construction engineer. ...
.
Wright was the youngest of three children born to Cheri and Stan Wright. Her parents' marriage was unhappy, partly due to her father's drinking. This caused the family to temporarily separate while Wright was a small child. She lived with her mother and two siblings in
Ottawa, Kansas
Ottawa (pronounced ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Franklin County, Kansas, United States. It is located on both banks of the Marais des Cygnes River near the center of Franklin County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the c ...
, before her mother and father reunited. Wright had a strained relationship with her mother throughout her life. "I wouldn't say we were friends or buddies, but I liked my Mom," she wrote in her 2010 memoir.
Wright became interested in her
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
faith and convinced her mother to become
baptized
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...
when she was six years old. She also discovered her
homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
after noticing she had a crush on her third grade teacher. However, church teachings taught her that homosexuality was considered sinful behavior. "I heard the words 'whore,' 'criminial,' 'drunk,' 'homosexual,' 'pervert,' 'liar' and 'non-believer' all strung together so many times that I understood that those were the building blocks of sin and evildoing," she wrote in 2010. Every day as a child she prayed for her homosexual thoughts to be taken away.
She attempted to find other examples of people in her hometown who were also homosexual, but had no luck. In her childhood, Wright often blamed negative events on her homosexual thoughts. This included when her brother broke a bone and the death of her cousin, David. "It was God's punishment for my being gay," she recalled.
![101207-Nashville-OprylandD-003](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/101207-Nashville-OprylandD-003.JPG)
Wright developed a passion for music at a young age. Both her parents enjoyed
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
and encouraged her to also appreciate it. Her father played
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
, while she often sang along. Her mother kept handwritten lyrics to her favorite songs in a binder. The family often entertained guests on Saturday evenings and would throw "pickin' parties." Wright often sang along with guests as they listened and played along to music. At age four, she began taking
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
lessons. In her elementary years, she played
trumpet
The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...
in her school band. As a preteen, she started performing in singing groups.
Wright also began performing in a local venues during this period, such as
VFW halls, picnics, bars and churches.
At age 14, she started her own country music band called County Line, which included her father as their
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
player.
The summer of her final year in high school, she worked as a performing musician at the ''Ozark Jubilee'', a long-running country music show in
Branson, Missouri
Branson is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. Most of the city is situated in Taney County, with a small portion in the west extending into Stone County. Branson is in the Ozark Mountains. The community was named after Reuben Branson, postma ...
.
In Branson, she rented a small trailer and bought her first car for $600. She also began dating a college-aged man whom she met sitting in the audience of her shows. Yet, Wright also realized she could not form the ideal romantic relationship with him: "But soon I was wresting with my old fears again. Nothing could save me from being gay."
In 1989, she landed a position in a musical production at
Opryland USA
Opryland USA (later called Opryland Themepark and colloquially "Opryland") was a theme park in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally (generally March to October) from 1972 to 1997, and for a special Christmas-themed engagement eve ...
, a now-defunct theme park in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
.
Making numerous costume changes in tight quarters led Wright to become good friends with several cast members. She also learned to sing as part of a vocal chorus and learned dance routines. Her contract only lasted one season and she later moved into the basement of a friend's home closer to Nashville. She found employment at a local sporting goods store. It was at the store that she met a woman whom she would have her first brief intimate relationship with. During the summer of 1990, she was re-hired as part of the Opryland cast for a second season and started taking classes at
Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU or MT) is a public university in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Founded in 1911 as a normal school, the university consists of eight undergraduate colleges as well as a college of graduate studies, together off ...
.
Music career
1993–1996: Beginnings at PolyGram and the rise to success
Wright was signed to a publishing deal as a songwriter, which helped secure a recording contract as a recording artist with
PolyGram
PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...
/
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...
in 1993.
Wright chose to keep her sexuality hidden from her record label and buying public, a theme which continued throughout her commercial career. She collaborated on her first album with Nashville producer,
Harold Shedd
James Harold Shedd (born November 8, 1931) is a music industry executive and producer, best known for his role as producer of the country group Alabama as well as Reba McEntire, Shania Twain and Toby Keith. During his career he has headed Mercury ...
. In a mutual agreement, Shedd agreed that Wright's persona would not be centered around being "a
usicvideo babe," but instead regarded for her artistic work as a country music artist. In 1994, Wright's debut studio album was released through the label titled ''
Woman in the Moon
''Woman in the Moon'' (German language, German ''Frau im Mond'') is a German science fiction silent film that premiered 15 October 1929 at the UFA-Palast am Zoo cinema in Berlin to an audience of 2,000. It is often considered to be one of the f ...
.'' The album would receive critical acclaim, despite limited success.
The project spawned three singles ("He's a Good Ole Boy," "Till I Was Loved by You" and "Sea of Cowboy Hats") that all peaked outside the top 40 of the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' country chart.
The album helped Wright win Top New Female Vocalist at the 1995
Academy of Country Music Awards
The Academy of Country Music Awards, also known as the ACM Awards, were first held in 1966, honoring the industry's accomplishments during the previous year. It was the first country music awards program held by a major organization. The academy ...
. Wright recalled in her memoir that she had low expectations of winning and was shocked to receive the accolade. "I had not prepared a speech for that night, but I'd been rehearsing one since I was a little girl," she commented.
In 1996, Wright released her second album titled ''
Right in the Middle of It.''
According to Wright, songs for the project were chosen carefully, even if they strayed from a traditional country sound. The album was produced by Ed Seay, along with Harold Shedd. At the time of its release, PolyGram/Mercury was hopeful of its success. The album had sold 42,000 copies in its initial release and its first music video had regular airtime on
Country Music Television
Country Music Television (CMT) is an American pay TV network owned by Paramount Media Networks, a division of Paramount Global. Launched on March 5, 1983, as Country Music Television, CMT was the first nationally available channel devoted to coun ...
. Yet, the album was unsuccessful.
Only two of its three singles charted on the ''Billboard'' country chart. Its highest-peaking single was 1996's "The Love That We Lost," which reached the top 50.
''Right in the Middle of It'' received acclaim from critics.
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
's Charlotte Dillon rated the project at four and a half stars, praising Wright's vocals and the album's mix of material. With her lack of success, Wright was given permission to leave her contract with PolyGram/Mercury and she began exploring new options for commercial stardom.
1997–2003: Breakout into the mainstream
Free from her previous record label, Wright made several changes to her career. She began working with a new manager (Clarence Spalding) and a publicist (Wes Vause), who helped secure her a contract with
MCA Records Nashville. Wright then contacted producer
Tony Brown, who had previously made hit albums with
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire (born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country music singer and actress. Dubbed " the Queen of Country", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Since the 1970s, McEntire has placed over 100 single ...
and
Wynonna
Wynonna Ellen Judd or simply Wynonna ( ; born Christina Claire Ciminella; May 30, 1964) is an American country music singer. She is one of the most widely recognized and awarded female country singers. In all, she has had 19 No. 1 singles, incl ...
. Brown agreed to work with her and together they recorded her third album. In 1997, ''
Let Me In,'' was released on MCA.
According to Brown, the album's material was backed by a simplified arrangement to help amplify Wright's vocal performance. It received a four star rating from Thom Owens at Allmusic who highlighted its "clean acoustic arrangements." Owens also called it her "most accomplished and arguably best album to date."
Meanwhile Brian Wahlert of ''Country Standard Time'' gave it a less favorable response, finding some of the material to be fillers rather than quality music. ''Let Me In'' was her first to reach the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Top Country Albums
Top Country Albums is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popular country music albums in the country, calculated weekly by Broadcast Data Systems based on physical sales a ...
chart, peaking at number 25 and spent 44 weeks there.
It was also her first to enter the
Billboard 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of art ...
where it charted for seven weeks. The album spawned Wright's first major hit, "
Shut Up and Drive
"Shut Up and Drive" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her third studio album, ''Good Girl Gone Bad'' (2007). It was written by Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Gillian Gilbert, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers while the producti ...
."
The single peaked at number 14 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart and number 21 on the ''
RPM
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...
'' Country chart in Canada.
The album's next two singles would reach the ''Billboard'' country top 40.
In 1999, Wright recorded her next song release, titled "
Single White Female
''Single White Female'' is a 1992 American psychological erotic thriller film based on John Lutz's 1990 novel ''SWF Seeks Same''. It stars Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh and was directed by Barbet Schroeder.
Plot
New York City software d ...
." Once the recording was completed, producers Tony Brown,
Buddy Cannon
Buddy Cannon (born April 20, 1947 Lexington, Tennessee) is an American country music songwriter and record producer. Active since the late 1970s, he is known primarily for his work with Willie Nelson and as Kenny Chesney's record producer, for w ...
and
Norro Wilson
Norris Denton "Norro" Wilson (April 4, 1938 – June 8, 2017) was an American country music singer-songwriter, producer, and member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Wilson wrote or co-wrote numerous hit songs during more than 40 yea ...
, believed the song could be a hit. The song would eventually reach number one on the ''Billboard'' country chart and the ''RPM'' country chart.
Wright celebrated the number one on the road with fellow band members,
Jay DeMarcus
Jay DeMarcus (born Stanley Wayne DeMarcus Jr.; on April 26, 1971) is an American bassist, vocalist, pianist, record producer and songwriter. From 1999 to 2021, he was a member of the country pop group Rascal Flatts.
Early life
DeMarcus was born ...
and
Joe Don Rooney
Joe Don Rooney (born September 13, 1975 in Baxter Springs, KS) is an American musician. From 1999 to 2021, he was the lead guitarist and high octave harmony singer in the American country pop trio Rascal Flatts.
In addition to the Electric guit ...
(both of whom would later form
Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts is an American country music band founded in 1999. The band members were Gary LeVox (lead vocals), Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar, background vocals), and Joe Don Rooney (lead guitar, background vocals). DeMarcus is LeVox's second cousi ...
). One month later, MCA celebrated by throwing Wright a "Number One Party" where she invited numerous guests inside and outside the music industry. The song was followed-up by another major hit, "
It Was
"It Was" is a song recorded by American country music artist Chely Wright. The song was released in September 1999 by MCA Nashville as the second single from her fourth studio album Single White Female (album), ''Single White Female'' (1999). It w ...
," which reached number 11 on the American country chart.
The same year, Wright's fourth studio album of the
same name was released.
It peaked at number 15 on the ''Billboard'' country albums chart and number 16 on Canada's country albums chart. The album would eventually sell 500,000 copies and certify gold in sales from the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
. Allmusic's
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
praised the studio effort, calling it "a welcome addition to an already impressive catalog."
Bill Friskics-Warren of ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' noted that despite its
country pop
Country pop (also known as pop country or urban cowboy) is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres ...
production, the record "hangs together as a sustained--and fairly compelling--song cycle about one woman's search for intimacy."
In the fall of 2000, Wright began choosing songs for her upcoming fifth studio album. She composed the songs by herself, with help from
Tim Nichols
Tim Nichols (born in Portsmouth, Virginia) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Active since the late 1980s, Nichols has written for several country music singers, including Keith Whitley, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Jo Dee Messina, ...
and
Brad Paisley
Bradley Douglas Paisley (born October 28, 1972) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Starting with his 1999 debut album ''Who Needs Pictures'', he has released eleven studio albums and a Christmas compilation on the Arista Nashvil ...
. Wright also served as the opening act on Paisley's 2000 tour.
The pair would also record a duet that would later be nominated for an accolade by the
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association (CMA) was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre. The objectives of the organization are to guide and enha ...
. The two would also become romantically involved during this time, all while Wright remained in a closeted relationship with a woman. In 2001, ''
Never Love You Enough'' was released on MCA. Following on the heels of her previous release, the album was a chart success,
climbing to number four on the Top Country Albums chart and number 62 on the Billboard 200. Yet its two singles only reached the top 30 of the ''Billboard'' chart. Its highest-charting hit was "
," which reached number 23.
The album received mixed reception from critics. Michael Gallucci called it a "conservative follow-up," while ''Country Standard Time'' called it, "a pleasant pop album, but hardly the sort of truly memorable work that Wright is so obviously capable of."
In 2001, Wright embarked on "The Coca-Cola Hometown Hero Tour," a 30-date set of concerts and presented at the
CMT Music Awards
The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The awards ceremony is held every year in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast live on the CMT (Country Music Television) channel. Voting takes p ...
. She also made her acting debut the same year in the
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
film, ''
Max Keeble's Big Move
''Max Keeble's Big Move'' is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Tim Hill, written by David L. Watts, James Greer, Jonathan Bernstein and Mark Blackwell and starring Alex D. Linz, Larry Miller, Jamie Kennedy, Nora Dunn, and Robert Carradin ...
.'' Wright was cast as the main character's homeroom teacher.
In 2002, Wright won the "Fashion Plate Award" from the
CMT Flameworthy Awards She would also be rated among ''
People
A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
'' magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" during this time as well. In 2002, she recorded a song for the soundtrack of ''
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea'' and was asked to be the "guest of honor" at
Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
. In 2003, Wright left MCA Records.
2004–present: Musical transitions and coming out
After leaving MCA, Wright co-wrote
Clay Walker
Ernest Clayton Walker Jr. (born August 19, 1969) is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1993 with the single " What's It to You", which reached Number One on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Son ...
's top ten hit, "
I Can't Sleep". She also moved her recording career towards an independent direction. In 2004, she signed with the independent label, Vivaton, and also changed management. Her first Vivaton release was the 2004 single, "
Back of the Bottom Drawer." The song peaked at number 40 on the ''Billboard'' country chart. Despite an intended album release, Wright exited Vivaton one month later, citing creative differences with label CEO,
Jeff Huskins. Instead, she independently-released an
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. titled ''
Everything
Everything, every-thing, or every thing is all that exists; the opposite of nothing, or its complement. It is the totality of things relevant to some subject matter. Without expressed or implied limits, it may refer to anything. The universe is ...
.''
In late 2004, Wright released the self-penned single, "
The Bumper of My SUV." She was inspired to write the song following a road-rage incident in which another driver was angry that Wright had a
Marine Corps
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
bumper sticker on her car. Following its release to radio, members of Wright's fan club were accused of calling radio stations, falsely portraying military people to help it gain airplay. The conflict caused the single to be re-released in 2005 and it eventually peaked at number 35 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
In 2005, she released her sixth album, ''
The Metropolitan Hotel
''The Metropolitan Hotel'' is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Chely Wright. It was her first album for the Dualtone label, after a failed deal with the Vivaton! label. This album produced four singles, of which two were ...
.'' Released on the independent
Dualtone
Dualtone Records is an American record label specializing in folk, Americana, and indie rock. It was founded in 2001 by Scott Robinson and Dan Herrington. The company is run by Robinson and the label's president, Paul Roper. Albums are distribute ...
label, the project incorporated acoustic material with contemporary country.
It reached number 18 on the ''Billboard'' country albums chart and number 96 on the Billboard 200. Critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine concluded that it was "her best and most complete album to date."
''
No Depression'' found the album to have a "tough" and "assertive edge."
![Chely Wright (15923716096)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Chely_Wright_%2815923716096%29.jpg)
Wright then went into a career hiatus after deciding to publicly come out to her record-buying public.
She started writing material which would later make up her next studio release titled ''
Lifted Off the Ground
''Lifted Off the Ground'' is the seventh studio album from singer-songwriter Chely Wright. The album was released on April 30, 2010 and coincided with the release of her first memoir, ''Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer''. Within ...
.''
She brought the album's material to artist and producer,
Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell (born August 7, 1950) is an American musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music. Crowell has had five number one singles on Hot Country Songs, all from his 1988 album '' Diamonds & Dirt''. ...
, who encouraged Wright to record it.
The album's sound contained a simpler arrangement that was comparable to
folk music
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
. It also contained material that alluded to her lesbian identity, particularly the track, "Like Me."
The album reached number 32 on the Top Country Albums chart and 200th position on the ''Billboard 200.'' The record and her corresponding
memoir
A memoir (; , ) is any nonfiction narrative writing based in the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autobi ...
were released both on May 4, 2010.
Reflecting on the experience, Wright told ''
Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
'', "I really do feel lifted off the ground. I have no secret now. I feel like I'm floating. I'm so proud to be standing where I am today." ''Lifted Off the Ground'' received four stars from Thom Jurek of Allmusic who cited Crowell's production and Wright's songwriting as the reasons for its success.
Meanwhile, the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' believed Wright could have challenged the country music establishment more rather than "tread lighty" in her songwriting material.
With the exception of a guest appearance on a Rodney Crowell album, Wright took a five-year break from music.
During her hiatus, she re-married, started a family and dedicated additional time to LGBT activism. "I realize the power I had that I didn’t know I had," Wright said in response to her hiatus. Yet, she continued songwriting and brought new material to Crowell, who got her in contact with producer
Joe Henry
Joseph Lee Henry (born December 2, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. He has released 15 studio albums and produced multiple recordings for other artists, including three Grammy Award-winning albums.
Early life
H ...
. Henry agreed to produce her and Wright formed a
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...
campaign to help fund the record. In 2016, she released ''
I Am the Rain
''I Am the Rain'' is the eighth studio album released by singer-songwriter Chely Wright. The album was released via MRI/Sony/Painted Red Records on September 9, 2016 after being funded by fans through a Kickstarter campaign which was launched in Se ...
.'' The album featured collaborations with Crowell,
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She has released dozens of albums and singles over the course of her career and has won 14 Grammys, the Polar Music Prize, and numerous other honors, including ...
and
The Milk Carton Kids
The Milk Carton Kids are an American indie folk duo from Eagle Rock, California, United States, consisting of singers and guitarists Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, who began making music together in early 2011. The band has recorded and rel ...
. It was considered a departure from her previous records, with roots centered in the
Americana
Americana may refer to:
*Americana (music), a genre or style of American music
*Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States
Film, radio and television
* ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
genre. ''I Am the Rain'' was her highest-charting album in ten years, reaching number 13 on the ''Billboard'' country albums list. It also reached number 181 on the ''Billboard 200.'' ''I Am the Rain'' received a positive response from ''
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...
'' magazine, who compared the project to that of
Carole King
Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...
's ''
Tapestry
Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven by hand on a loom. Tapestry is weft-faced weaving, in which all the warp threads are hidden in the completed work, unlike most woven textiles, where both the warp and the weft threads may ...
''. Allmusic's Marcey Donelson positively commented that the album had an "intimate tone."
In 2018, Wright released the extended play titled ''
Santa Will Find You!.'' The album was a collection of
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
songs, two of which had previously appeared on
Mindy Smith
Melinda Leigh Smith (born June 1, 1972, Long Island, New York) is an American singer-songwriter. Her first record deal came after she sang a cover version of the song "Jolene (song), Jolene" by Dolly Parton.
Music career
Smith was adopted at bi ...
's project, ''
My Holiday
''My Holiday'' is the third album by American singer-songwriter Mindy Smith, released in 2007. This is Smith's first holiday (Christmas) record.
Track listing
#"My Holiday" - 3:43 (Smith)
#"The Christmas Song" - 3:48 ( Mel Tormé, Bob Wells)
# ...
.'' The album's release was followed by a ten-day holiday concert tour that began in
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and the county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, which is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. With a population of 24,928 in the 2020 census, the municipality is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple ZIP Codes in ...
. In March 2019, she released her third extended play, ''Revival.''
The five-song EP was produced by Jeremy Lister, who also performed on the record's lead single, "Say the Word." In August 2019, Wright returned to the stage of
The Grand Ole Opry
The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...
after a decade-long absence. Her last invitation to play the venue had been before publicly coming out in 2010.
Musical styles
Wright's musical style is rooted in
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
, but also in the genres of
Americana
Americana may refer to:
*Americana (music), a genre or style of American music
*Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States
Film, radio and television
* ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
and
country-folk.
Wright's early musical style was built on a traditional country platform. ''Roughstock'' called her first two albums with PolyGram/Mercury to be "traditional," while also incorporating quality songwriting material.
Critics have noted that Wright's MCA albums incorporated more contemporary styles, while also including the traditional country from her PolyGram days. Thom Owens of Allmusic found that 1997's ''Let Me In'' had "clean acoustic arrangements" and "only a few cuts
ereadorned with pop/rock instrumentation."
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
observed a similar trend with 1999's ''Single White Female'': "The record picks up where its predecessor left off, offering a selection of ten songs with clean, tasteful arrangements that place Wright in the forefront...Even when Wright and Brown shoot for the charts, they pull it off, since Chely never oversings and the instrumentation is never bombastic."
With 2005's ''The Metropolitan Hotel,'' Wright stated that she made more of an effort to shift towards Americana. However, she also felt the need to mix in radio-friendly styles, according to a 2019 interview.
In a similar vein, Stephen Thomas Erlewine found that she had not "completely abandoned the sound of contemporary country-pop," but also had "stripped-back and direct" songs.
Wright's musical sound moved further away from contemporary country sounds into the Americana format. Music journalists, such as Stephen L. Betts observed her Americana transition in 2016's ''I Am the Rain.'' In the same 2019 article, Wright explained that her style remains anchored to country roots despite an Americana feel: "I want to be an artist that can be 60 years old sitting on stage at the Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame telling stories and singing songs that would be appropriate for a 60-year-old woman".
Activist career
2000–2010: Early activism
Wright first began her work with activism through music education. She was inspired to help public schools following the
Columbine High School massacre
On April 20, 1999, a school shooting and attempted bombing occurred at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, United States. The perpetrators, 12th grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered 12 students and one teacher. ...
. In 2000, she established the Reading, Writing and Rhythm non-profit organization. The program helps provide public schools with musical instruments and brings attention to the significance of music education.
Wright holds a yearly concert for the organization in Nashville that has included numerous performers in its lineup. Musicians at previous events have included
Jann Arden
Jann Arden (born Jann Arden Anne Richards; March 27, 1962) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and actress. She is famous for her signature ballads, "Could I Be Your Girl" and "Insensitive (song), Insensitive", which is her biggest hit to date.
Ea ...
, Rodney Crowell,
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
and
Tanya Tucker
Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music singer and songwriter who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13. Over the succeeding decades, Tucker became one of the few child performers to mature int ...
The concert has also helped raise significant amounts of money for the organization — in 2007 it raised $185,000.
Since its inception, Reading, Writing and Rhythm has raised nearly one million dollars. "I'm so proud of this charity and the difference we've been able to make in so many young people's lives," she said in 2010.
In 2002, Wright received the
National Association for Music Education
The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is an organization of American music educators dedicated to advancing and preserving music education as part of the core curriculum of schools in the United States. Founded in 1907 as the Mus ...
's "FAME Award" in recognition of her accomplishments.
![Chely wright](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Chely_wright.jpg)
Wright has also been involved in working with military members and veterans. Following the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
, she embarked on a
USO
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
tour performing for American troops in
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. She also met with servicemen in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
. During the same period, she visited veterans and military servicemen recovering at the
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
The Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), formerly known as the National Naval Medical Center and colloquially referred to as the Bethesda Naval Hospital, Walter Reed, or Navy Med, is a United States' tri-service military medi ...
in
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...
. In the early 2000s, also joined wounded and recovering troops at a private military service event hosted by former vice president,
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He is currently the oldest living former U ...
. In 2003, she was named "Woman of the Year" by the
American Legion Auxiliary
The American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) is a separate entity from the American Legion that shares the same values. Composed of spouses, mothers, daughters, granddaughters, and sisters of American war veterans. Founded in 1919, the ALA is dedicated to ...
She has also spoken out against the former American military policy,
Don't ask, don't tell
"Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) was the official United States policy on military service of non-heterosexual people, instituted during the Clinton administration. The policy was issued under Department of Defense Directive 1304.26 on December ...
. In her 2010 memoir, Wright wrote that the law "made no sense" to her and that she believed policymakers at the time were wrong for accepting it. In addition, she stated she believes it was put into practice due to a misconception that LGBT people are more likely to be sexually promiscuous. In her book, Wright further explained her reasoning: "Homosexuality does not make a person promiscuous, perverted, unprofessional, or without judgment." She later spoke out about it again in 2010 with ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
.'' Wright commented that she was "angry" that former president
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
and former vice president Cheney had not spoken out on the law.
2010–present: LGBT activism
Wright became involved in
LGBT activism
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) movements are social movements that advocate for LGBT people in society. Some focus on equal rights, such as the ongoing movement for same-sex marriage, while others focus on liberation, as in the ...
following her decision to publicly come out in 2010. She received notable attention in the LGBT community with the release of her 2010 memoir, ''
Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer.'' The book was published by
Random House, Inc.
Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...
The book described Wright's rise to fame and struggle with being a closeted person in the country music industry. It also chronicle Wright's realization of her identity as a lesbian.
In an interview with ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
,'' Wright explained that she chose to write the book for herself but also to encourage other LGBT individuals to accept themselves as they are: "...if I aid someone or comfort someone or help facilitate understanding for someone in the process, that’s a great byproduct of what I’m doing," she explained.
The book received positive reviews from critics following its release. Jack Feerick of ''
Kirkus Reviews
''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...
'' praised Wright for being "unpolished and raw." The ''New York Journal of Books'' called the memoir "gut-wrenching" in their review of the book. ''Like Me'' later received recognition from the LGBT literature association, the
Lambda Awards, in 2011.
![Chely Wright--Cyndi Lauper](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Chely_Wright--Cyndi_Lauper.jpg)
Shortly after coming out, Wright performed at the 2010
Capitol Pride
Salem Capital Pride is an annual event and non-profit organization based in Salem, Oregon, in the United States. Founded in 2004, its mission is to "promote understanding and education regarding LGBTQ issues, and to foster a sense of community fo ...
parade in
Washington D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
She also made several national public television appearances to discuss her coming out story and LGBT rights on shows, including ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was prod ...
'' and ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show
''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime broadcast syndication, syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicag ...
.''
Wright also spoke out on CNN in 2010 to discuss the increased suicide rate by LGBT youth in the United States. Also included on program were
Nate Berkus
Nathan Jay Berkus (born September 17, 1971) is an American interior designer, author, and television personality. He runs the Chicago interior design firm Nate Berkus Associates and was a regularly featured guest on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', off ...
,
Kathy Griffin
Kathleen Mary Griffin (born November 4, 1960) is an American comedian and actress who has starred in television comedy specials and has released comedy albums. In 2007 and 2008, Griffin won Primetime Emmy Awards for her reality show '' Kathy ...
and
Wanda Sykes
Wanda Yvette Sykes (born March 7, 1964) is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. She was first recognized for her work as a writer on ''The Chris Rock Show'', for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1999. In 2004, ''Entertainm ...
. In 2010, Wright was named the National Spokesperson for the organization
GLSEN
GLSEN (pronounced ''glisten''; formerly the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) is an American education organization working to end discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expres ...
. Wright was named one of ''
Out
Out may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films
* ''Out'' (1957 film), a documentary short about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956
* ''Out'' (1982 film), an American film directed by Eli Hollander
* ''Out'' (2002 film), a Japanese film ba ...
'' magazine's annual 100 People of the Year. ''Metro Source New York'' magazine named her as one of the 20 people We Love in 2010. In 2011, she appeared in the
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
documentary, ''Out in America,'' that discussed the LGBT experience in the United States. After U.S President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
announced his support for LGBT rights, Wright endorsed his re-election campaign in 2012.
In 2011, Wright released a
documentary chronicling her coming-out story titled ''
Wish Me Away.'' The film was officially released to American markets in spring 2012.
The film was directed by Bobbie Birleffi and Beverly Kopf. Both directors filmed ''Wish Me Away'' over a three-year span.
The documentary was reviewed positively following its release. ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' called it "a sympathetic, emotional portrait of a life at a pivotal transition." ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' concluded, "By the end you may not be a fan of her music, but it’s hard not to root for her rebirth."
''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' commented that ''Wish Me Away'' was released at "the right moment" because marriage equality was a hot-button topic at the time. ''Wish Me Away'' was later nominated by the
GLAAD Media Awards
The GLAAD Media Award is an accolade bestowed by GLAAD to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their live ...
in the category of "Outstanding Documentary."
It also won an accolade from the
Los Angeles Film Festival
The LA Film Festival was an annual film festival that was held in Los Angeles, California, and usually took place in June. It showcased independent, international, feature, documentary and short films, as well as web series, music videos, episod ...
and received a nomination from the
Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
. Since its release, Wright stated that she still receives letters from LGBT individuals who said it has helped them acknowledge their own sexuality.
In 2012, Wright established an LGBT organization titled, "LIKEME." The nonprofit organization is designed to help educate and provide assistance to individuals in the LGBT community. This includes youth, adults and family members of those struggling with their sexual identity. In May 2012, Wright and the organization founded a "Lighthouse" center in
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
. The community center includes resources, staff and counselors to help those in the LGBT community find support. Since its launch, the center has received funds from various events, including a 2016 live performance fundraiser.
In 2014, Wright spoke on the stage of the GLAAD Media Awards to discuss anti-bullying legislation with fellow activist Marcel Neergaard. She also introduced country artist
Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Lee Musgraves (born August 21, 1988) is an American country singer. She has won six Grammy Awards, seven Country Music Association Awards, and three Academy of Country Music Awards. Musgraves self-released three solo albums and one as Texa ...
, who performed her song, "
Follow Your Arrow
"Follow Your Arrow" is a song recorded by American country music singer and songwriter Kacey Musgraves. The song is featured on her major label debut album, ''Same Trailer Different Park''. It was released on October 21, 2013, as the album's thir ...
." In recent years, Wright has been outspoken on
transgender bathroom laws. She discussed her views against the laws on
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
and on other social media platforms. In 2016, Wright appeared on CNN encouraging the country music industry to be supportive of laws that protect transgender Americans in the state of Tennessee.
Personal life
Early relationships, closeted identity and breaking point
A Christian, Wright harbored the belief her sexual orientation was immoral and that her secret would kill her career hopes. From early childhood, she resolved to never confide her orientation to anyone or to pursue romantic relationships with women. Despite her resolution against having sex with women, Wright disclosed in her memoir that, by her early thirties, she had had sexual relationships with two women. She had her first same-sex experience at age 19 — "it was the first time I'd ever had a girl's body pressed against mine"—and the affair lasted the better part of a year. From 1993 to about 2004, Wright maintained a committed relationship with a woman she described as "the love of my life." In her memoir, Wright uses the pseudonym Julia to keep her identity hidden. She met Julia shortly after winning her first recording contract. The era of their relationship overlaps Wright's rise to chart-topping stardom. They maintained their relationship even though her partner subsequently married a man, and even while both women briefly had relationships with men.
In 1998, Wright had a brief relationship with country artist
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist b ...
. The pair had originally met as artists both signed to MCA Records. Although the pair had developed a friendship, Gill was also developing a developing affection for
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
singer-songwriter,
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the 1980s and 1990s. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christia ...
. At the same time, Wright still had feelings for her long-term female partner. Gill and Wright eventually split, but remained on friendly terms. In the last months of 2000, Wright began a relationship with country singer
Brad Paisley
Bradley Douglas Paisley (born October 28, 1972) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Starting with his 1999 debut album ''Who Needs Pictures'', he has released eleven studio albums and a Christmas compilation on the Arista Nashvil ...
.
Even though Wright and Julia had moved in together earlier that year, and Wright admitted she felt no sexual attraction to Paisley,
she recounted that "he's wickedly smart, which is one of the reasons why I made the decision to spend time with him. I loved Brad. I never had the capacity to fall in love with him, but I figured if I’m gonna live a less than satisfied life, this is the guy I could live my life with. If I’m gonna be with a boy, this is the boy." She held him in high esteem and great affection in every way other than sexual attraction.
In her autobiography she expressed remorse for how she treated Paisley.
In her memoir, Wright described being confronted about her sexuality for the first time. In March 2005, she met up with long-time friend,
John Rich
John Rich (born January 7, 1974) is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist. After d ...
. After enjoying a night out, Rich drove her back. In the car ride, Rich confronted Wright about her sexuality: "You know people talk about you...they wonder if you're, you know, gay...You know, that's not cool. People don't approve of that deviant behavior. It's a sin." The confrontation caused Wright to become fearful of being outed and ultimately led her to end her 12-year relationship with Julia. The pair would soon split and Wright moved out of their home. After Wright's coming out in 2010, Rich issued a statement that stated his confrontation was "taken the wrong way." He also commented that he wished Wright "the best in her personal and professional life."
After moving out, Wright began to reach a personal breaking point in 2006. That year, she nearly took her own life while alone at her home in Nashville. She pointed a gun into her mouth, but changed her mind before pulling the trigger.
In her memoir, Wright realized she had an "urge to fight" and had a determination to become stronger. After staying in bed for several days, she rode her bike 13 miles around the Nashville area. "Keep pedaling, keep pushing, keep fighting for a breath," she recalled.
Coming out and current life
Wright eventually abandoned the belief of hiding her sexual identity. She soon took steps towards coming out. In 2008, Wright made the move from Nashville to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
where she became more involved with the LGBT community. During this period, she came out to members of her immediate family and to a few of her close friends. It was not until 2007 that she decided to come out publicly, but spent the next three years writing her autobiography. She stated that she wanted to come out to free herself from the burdens of living a lie, to lend support to LGBT youth, and to dismantle the notion that being gay is immoral. On May 3, 2010, ''
People
A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
'' magazine reported her coming out.
Wright became one of the first
members of the country music community to come out as gay; country artist
k.d. lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop (music), pop and country music, country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical perfor ...
came out in 1992 (though she later abandoned the country music genre), and
Kristen Hall
Kristen Hall (born October 24, 1962) is an American folk rock singer-songwriter and a founding member of the country music group Sugarland. She had a solo career and released several albums, formed the country band Sugarland, and more recently ...
, formerly of
Sugarland
Sugarland is an American country music duo founded in Atlanta, Georgia. The duo consists of singer-songwriters Jennifer Nettles (lead vocals) and Kristian Bush (vocals, guitar, mandolin). They were founded in 2002, at which point Kristen Hall (vo ...
, was openly gay while working with that band.
Following her announcement, Wright received support from fellow country artists
LeAnn Rimes
Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (born August 28, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She originally rose to success as a country music artist at age 13 with 1996's "Blue". She has since crossed over into pop, contemporary Chris ...
,
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religious contexts
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
,
Faith Hill
Audrey Faith McGraw (; born September 21, 1967), known professionally as Faith Hill, is an American singer and actress. She is one of the most successful country music artists of all time, having sold more than 40 million albums worldwide.
Hill' ...
,
Naomi Judd
Naomi Judd (born Diana Ellen Judd; January 11, 1946 – April 30, 2022) was an American singer and actress. In 1980, she and her daughter Wynonna (born Christina Claire) formed the duo known as The Judds, which became a very successful country ...
,
SHeDAISY
SHeDAISY () was an American country music vocal group from Magna, Utah. The group consisted of sisters Kristyn Robyn Osborn (born August 24, 1970), Kelsi Marie Osborn (born November 21, 1974), and Kassidy Lorraine Osborn (born October 30, 1976). ...
and
Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood (born September 19, 1964) is an American singer, actress, author and television personality. She rose to fame with her 1991 debut single " She's in Love with the Boy," which became a number one hit on the ''Billboard'' c ...
. She also found new fans that discovered her through the LGBT community and through social media platforms. Wright also lost a significant chunk of her fan base and her record sales dropped in half.
Two weeks after publicly coming out, Wright met fellow LGBT activist and
Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
marketing director Lauren Blitzer. On April 6, 2011, Wright announced her engagement to Blitzer. The couple married on August 20, 2011, in a private ceremony on a country estate in
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
officiated by both a rabbi and a reverend. On January 23, 2013, the couple announced that Chely was expecting identical twins. In May 2013, Wright gave birth to two twin boys named George and Everett. Both children were named after their great-grandfathers, according to Wright.
In 2018, Wright suffered a
stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...
. She discovered the stroke after having a series of migraine headaches that felt unusual. After dropping her children off, Wright went to the emergency room at New York's
Lenox Hill Hospital
Lenox Hill Hospital (LHH) is a nationally ranked 450-bed non-profit, tertiary, research and academic medical center located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, servicing the tri-state area. LHH is one of the region's many unive ...
. At the hospital, her doctor confirmed that she had suffered a stroke. Wright made the news public a year later to help encourage other people to seek medical attention if they notice similar symptoms.
Discography
;Studio albums
* 1994: ''
Woman in the Moon
''Woman in the Moon'' (German language, German ''Frau im Mond'') is a German science fiction silent film that premiered 15 October 1929 at the UFA-Palast am Zoo cinema in Berlin to an audience of 2,000. It is often considered to be one of the f ...
''
* 1996: ''
Right in the Middle of It''
* 1997: ''
Let Me In''
* 1999: ''
Single White Female
''Single White Female'' is a 1992 American psychological erotic thriller film based on John Lutz's 1990 novel ''SWF Seeks Same''. It stars Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh and was directed by Barbet Schroeder.
Plot
New York City software d ...
''
* 2001: ''
Never Love You Enough''
* 2005: ''
The Metropolitan Hotel
''The Metropolitan Hotel'' is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Chely Wright. It was her first album for the Dualtone label, after a failed deal with the Vivaton! label. This album produced four singles, of which two were ...
''
* 2010: ''
Lifted Off the Ground
''Lifted Off the Ground'' is the seventh studio album from singer-songwriter Chely Wright. The album was released on April 30, 2010 and coincided with the release of her first memoir, ''Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer''. Within ...
''
* 2016: ''
I Am the Rain
''I Am the Rain'' is the eighth studio album released by singer-songwriter Chely Wright. The album was released via MRI/Sony/Painted Red Records on September 9, 2016 after being funded by fans through a Kickstarter campaign which was launched in Se ...
''
Filmography
Awards and nominations
Wright has received several awards and nominations for her work. This includes one win the
Academy of Country Music Awards
The Academy of Country Music Awards, also known as the ACM Awards, were first held in 1966, honoring the industry's accomplishments during the previous year. It was the first country music awards program held by a major organization. The academy ...
, three nominations from the
Country Music Association Awards
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony f ...
, and two nominations from
GLAAD
GLAAD (), an acronym of Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, is an American non-governmental media monitoring organization originally founded as a protest against defamatory coverage of gay and lesbian demographics and their portrayals ...
.
Books
* ''
Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer'' (2010)
Notes
References
Footnotes
;Cited sources
*
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Chely
1970 births
Living people
20th-century American singers
21st-century American singers
20th-century American women singers
21st-century American women singers
American country singer-songwriters
American women country singers
American memoirists
American women memoirists
Dualtone Records artists
Lesbian artists
American lesbian musicians
LGBT singers from the United States
LGBT Christians
LGBT memoirists
LGBT rights activists from the United States
LGBT people from Kansas
LGBT people from Missouri
Country musicians from Kansas
Country musicians from Missouri
Singer-songwriters from Missouri
People from Wellsville, Kansas
Musicians from Kansas City, Missouri
Middle Tennessee State University alumni
Mercury Records artists
MCA Records artists
PolyGram artists
Vanguard Records artists
20th-century LGBT people
21st-century LGBT people
Singer-songwriters from Kansas