Chely Wright Has A New Book, Album, and Movie

Chely Wright came out two years ago to say she was gay. She was the first country star to do so. I know there are others, but country is not an easy genre to be a gay performer. The demographis always seems to show that "traditional" people buy the music. Gay artists have always struggled with any type of coming out, but country is the hardest.

Two years after becoming the first country star to come out as gay, Chely Wright is now at peace, living honestly and married to another woman, but she feels somewhat cut off by the country music world to which she has devoted her life.

Chely Wright thinks the time has never been better to be open despite her struggles depicted in a new film documentary, "Wish Me Away," in U.S. theaters June 1. I am curious to see this film.

I think with what has been happening in the news with beatings and killings. This film needs to show the struggles of being gay. Everyone has their struggles, some don't fit in to society for whatever reason, so, I think this is the best way to walk a mile in Chely's shoes.

For me, I'm disappointed Chely will never date ME (a wish I had when I first met her as far fetched as it was), but her songs still ring true. She is still as beautiful as I always thought she was and I think she is a better singer today than when I discovered her as an artist.

"It's important for those who don't understand the journey, the real fear," she said. "And those very deep profound moments of feeling isolated and afraid to take a step that might get you kicked out of your church, might get you kicked out of your social situation or might cause you to lose your job."
The film documents Wright's rise through country music to her first top 40 hit in 1997, "Shut Up and Drive," and her first country No. 1 single two years later, "Single White Female," in a career spanning seven albums and over a dozen hit singles.

By the way, she is on people's list for 50 most beautiful people, and she once dated Brad Paisley.