Mindy Stephens
2010-05-26 00:28:20 UTC
http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2010/05/25/chely-wright-finds-shares-freedom-in-confessions-book/
Chely Wright finds, shares freedom in 'Confessions' book
PUBLISHED BY CINDY WATTS ON MAY 25, 2010
While much of Nashville was still under water from early Mays
devastating floods, country singer and part time Music City resident
Chely Wright was unnerved for a different reason: She was about to
tell the world she was gay.
On May 4, Wright most famous for the 1999 No. 1 single Single White
Female released her memoir, Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland
Country Singer, and her new album Lifted Off the Ground, which she
described as the audio version of me coming out. Wright states on
the third page of the books preface that shes a lesbian, then spends
the next 283 pages detailing her childhood, career, heterosexual and
homosexual relationships and the pall that keeping her secret cast
of over all of it.
Wright plans to sign copies of her book starting at 7:30 p.m. on
Thursday, May 27 at Davis-Kidd Booksellers at The Mall at Green Hills.
This comes on the heels of a massive media tour that has spanned from
The Oprah Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show (the episode airs today)
to People magazine.
It didnt happen by accident, to come out on the scale I came out,
said Wright, who describes herself as the first out country
chart-topping lesbian. There was a very cognitive thought process
that went behind it. . . . Im not going to tell you, Oh, I cant
believe all this. I can believe all this because I wanted it to be
discussed in this fashion, and I wanted to do it correctly.
In hiding
Until she came out, Wright felt like she was in hiding and those
feelings of self-imposed isolation only intensified in 2006, when she
had what she calls her come to Jesus moment with God. On the heels
of a bad break-up and feeling emotionally battered by years hiding and
fighting what she calls her truth, Wright took her 9mm handgun out
of her closet, carried it down her stairs into her living room and
thought about how to position the weapon so she would not miss her
target: her head. She settled on putting it in her mouth, then looked
at herself in the mirror and noted that her eyes were open too wide.
She didnt want to be found that way, so she closed them. She said her
mind went a million miles a minute, flashing to her family, her
dogs, her friends and her fans, before she heard it: the loud pounding
of her heart beating. Wright couldnt pull the trigger.
That moment led the singer to her eventual departure from Nashville
and to her new apartment in Manhattan. It was there that she wrote her
book, which she started in 2007. Wright said she knew the story had to
be as comprehensive as possible, because after people read the book
she didnt want to have to defend herself, the complexities of her
hiding, or her integrity.
It may seem from an outsider looking in, a straight person, like,
Why do gay people have to make a big deal about coming out? she
said. But not a lot of people are murdered for being straight. Not a
lot of people are unfairly fired for being straight. . . . And I cant
think of one person who was ever denied their dream of being a country
music singer for being straight. I had fantasies of walking out at
shows and saying, Thank you all for coming out to my show tonight,
and I just have to tell you all something: Im gay. Because tending
to my secret was a big, big job, and it about killed me.
Freedom
In Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer, Wright talks in depth
about the major gay relationships she had while in Nashville,
including one that lasted for 12 years. But she also goes into detail
about her straight relationships, including her then-well-publicized
stint with Brad Paisley and a short-term flirtation with Vince Gill.
(Wright said Paisley was alerted to the books release.) She also
discusses the gay rumors that surfaced while she lived here, and how a
confrontational conversation with John Rich left her on edge. In the
book, Wright recalls the tête-à-tête, saying that Rich flat out asked
if she was gay. When she said no, his reply, Wright wrote, was,
good.
Rich takes issue with how he was portrayed in the memoir, and said in
a statement that the conversation happened over a decade ago, his
quotes were taken out of context and that he never said some of what
was attributed to him at all. Despite that, he said he still wishes
Wright the best in her personal and professional life.
When asked about Richs claim that he may have been misquoted, Wright
said she stands by her book and her timeline.
How do they say it in the South? she asked. I dont want to get in
a pissing match with John Rich.
Wright said shes been overwhelmed by the support shes received from
Music Row and the country music industry now that the book is out.
Shes received beautiful e-mails from industry insiders and artist
friends including Trisha Yearwood, Jack Ingram, Faith Hill and Mary
Chapin Carpenter expressing their love and support. But she points out
that she always knew Music Row was behind her. It wasnt Nashville,
fellow artists or Row executives that she was hiding from it was the
record-buying public.
Theres a reason no one comes out in country music as an artist, she
said. Its that I did a radio station interview in Modesto, Calif.
and that two callers called in and said, We want her off the air. We
dont like that. Its religion. Its hard to sell a gay country
artist to fans because its largely steeped with conservative
Christian record buyers, and we all know that. There is a reason that
other (gay country music singers) arent coming out, and I dont blame
those who havent. I know why I hid. I like my job.
Wright said shes not sure where her revelation leaves her music
career. (The singer hasnt charted on Billboards Hot Country Singles
Chart since The Bumper of My S.U.V. peaked at No. 35 in Feb. of
2005.) But she knows her newfound sense of freedom will surely impact
her music.
I guess Ive been kind of saying for my whole life, No, it hasnt
affected my music to be in hiding, Ive made the most honest music,
she said. But, I think thats not true. Now Im really coming to
terms, Im mourning the death of perhaps what my music could have
been. . . . I have no idea what my musical future will be. I have no
idea where I will land, but I like to imagine I will hopefully deliver
some of my best work. Time will tell, but Im thrilled about the
possibility of soaring.
Personally, Wright said shes still looking for Ms. Right.
Reach Cindy Watts at 615664-2227 or ***@tennessean.com.
IF YOU GO
What: Chely Wright signs copies of her memoir, Like Me: Confessions of
a Heartland Country Singer
Where: Davis-Kidd Booksellers, The Mall at Green Hills (Suite 281,
2121 Green Hills Village Dr., Nashville)
When: 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 27
Contact: Davis-Kidd Booksellers at 615385-2645
What: Chely Wrights 10th annual Reading, Writing & Rhythm benefit
concert featuring Jamey Johnson, Bucky Covington, Rodney Crowell,
Justin Moore, Buxton Hughes (Sarah Buxton and Jedd Hughes)
Where: Tennessee Performing Arts Centers James K. Polk Theater (505
Deaderick St., 782-4000)
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 8
Tickets: $42, available at www.tpac.org
Contact: 615782-4000
.
Chely Wright finds, shares freedom in 'Confessions' book
PUBLISHED BY CINDY WATTS ON MAY 25, 2010
While much of Nashville was still under water from early Mays
devastating floods, country singer and part time Music City resident
Chely Wright was unnerved for a different reason: She was about to
tell the world she was gay.
On May 4, Wright most famous for the 1999 No. 1 single Single White
Female released her memoir, Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland
Country Singer, and her new album Lifted Off the Ground, which she
described as the audio version of me coming out. Wright states on
the third page of the books preface that shes a lesbian, then spends
the next 283 pages detailing her childhood, career, heterosexual and
homosexual relationships and the pall that keeping her secret cast
of over all of it.
Wright plans to sign copies of her book starting at 7:30 p.m. on
Thursday, May 27 at Davis-Kidd Booksellers at The Mall at Green Hills.
This comes on the heels of a massive media tour that has spanned from
The Oprah Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show (the episode airs today)
to People magazine.
It didnt happen by accident, to come out on the scale I came out,
said Wright, who describes herself as the first out country
chart-topping lesbian. There was a very cognitive thought process
that went behind it. . . . Im not going to tell you, Oh, I cant
believe all this. I can believe all this because I wanted it to be
discussed in this fashion, and I wanted to do it correctly.
In hiding
Until she came out, Wright felt like she was in hiding and those
feelings of self-imposed isolation only intensified in 2006, when she
had what she calls her come to Jesus moment with God. On the heels
of a bad break-up and feeling emotionally battered by years hiding and
fighting what she calls her truth, Wright took her 9mm handgun out
of her closet, carried it down her stairs into her living room and
thought about how to position the weapon so she would not miss her
target: her head. She settled on putting it in her mouth, then looked
at herself in the mirror and noted that her eyes were open too wide.
She didnt want to be found that way, so she closed them. She said her
mind went a million miles a minute, flashing to her family, her
dogs, her friends and her fans, before she heard it: the loud pounding
of her heart beating. Wright couldnt pull the trigger.
That moment led the singer to her eventual departure from Nashville
and to her new apartment in Manhattan. It was there that she wrote her
book, which she started in 2007. Wright said she knew the story had to
be as comprehensive as possible, because after people read the book
she didnt want to have to defend herself, the complexities of her
hiding, or her integrity.
It may seem from an outsider looking in, a straight person, like,
Why do gay people have to make a big deal about coming out? she
said. But not a lot of people are murdered for being straight. Not a
lot of people are unfairly fired for being straight. . . . And I cant
think of one person who was ever denied their dream of being a country
music singer for being straight. I had fantasies of walking out at
shows and saying, Thank you all for coming out to my show tonight,
and I just have to tell you all something: Im gay. Because tending
to my secret was a big, big job, and it about killed me.
Freedom
In Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer, Wright talks in depth
about the major gay relationships she had while in Nashville,
including one that lasted for 12 years. But she also goes into detail
about her straight relationships, including her then-well-publicized
stint with Brad Paisley and a short-term flirtation with Vince Gill.
(Wright said Paisley was alerted to the books release.) She also
discusses the gay rumors that surfaced while she lived here, and how a
confrontational conversation with John Rich left her on edge. In the
book, Wright recalls the tête-à-tête, saying that Rich flat out asked
if she was gay. When she said no, his reply, Wright wrote, was,
good.
Rich takes issue with how he was portrayed in the memoir, and said in
a statement that the conversation happened over a decade ago, his
quotes were taken out of context and that he never said some of what
was attributed to him at all. Despite that, he said he still wishes
Wright the best in her personal and professional life.
When asked about Richs claim that he may have been misquoted, Wright
said she stands by her book and her timeline.
How do they say it in the South? she asked. I dont want to get in
a pissing match with John Rich.
Wright said shes been overwhelmed by the support shes received from
Music Row and the country music industry now that the book is out.
Shes received beautiful e-mails from industry insiders and artist
friends including Trisha Yearwood, Jack Ingram, Faith Hill and Mary
Chapin Carpenter expressing their love and support. But she points out
that she always knew Music Row was behind her. It wasnt Nashville,
fellow artists or Row executives that she was hiding from it was the
record-buying public.
Theres a reason no one comes out in country music as an artist, she
said. Its that I did a radio station interview in Modesto, Calif.
and that two callers called in and said, We want her off the air. We
dont like that. Its religion. Its hard to sell a gay country
artist to fans because its largely steeped with conservative
Christian record buyers, and we all know that. There is a reason that
other (gay country music singers) arent coming out, and I dont blame
those who havent. I know why I hid. I like my job.
Wright said shes not sure where her revelation leaves her music
career. (The singer hasnt charted on Billboards Hot Country Singles
Chart since The Bumper of My S.U.V. peaked at No. 35 in Feb. of
2005.) But she knows her newfound sense of freedom will surely impact
her music.
I guess Ive been kind of saying for my whole life, No, it hasnt
affected my music to be in hiding, Ive made the most honest music,
she said. But, I think thats not true. Now Im really coming to
terms, Im mourning the death of perhaps what my music could have
been. . . . I have no idea what my musical future will be. I have no
idea where I will land, but I like to imagine I will hopefully deliver
some of my best work. Time will tell, but Im thrilled about the
possibility of soaring.
Personally, Wright said shes still looking for Ms. Right.
Reach Cindy Watts at 615664-2227 or ***@tennessean.com.
IF YOU GO
What: Chely Wright signs copies of her memoir, Like Me: Confessions of
a Heartland Country Singer
Where: Davis-Kidd Booksellers, The Mall at Green Hills (Suite 281,
2121 Green Hills Village Dr., Nashville)
When: 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 27
Contact: Davis-Kidd Booksellers at 615385-2645
What: Chely Wrights 10th annual Reading, Writing & Rhythm benefit
concert featuring Jamey Johnson, Bucky Covington, Rodney Crowell,
Justin Moore, Buxton Hughes (Sarah Buxton and Jedd Hughes)
Where: Tennessee Performing Arts Centers James K. Polk Theater (505
Deaderick St., 782-4000)
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 8
Tickets: $42, available at www.tpac.org
Contact: 615782-4000
.