Richell Rene "Chely" Wright (born October 25, 1970, in Kansas City, Missouri) is an American country music artist who released her debut album in 1994. Although she received an ACM award for Top New Female Vocalist that same year, none of her initial songs made a significant impact on the charts. In 1997, Chely had her first Top 40 country hit, "Shut Up and Drive". Two years later, she scored her first #1 single with "Single White Female". Overall, Wright has released seven studio albums on various labels, and has charted more than fifteen singles on the country charts. She has also written songs for Brad Paisley, Richard Marx, Mindy Smith and a top 10 hit for Clay Walker, I Can't Sleep. Chely will release her memoir, Like Me and a new album, Lifted Off The Ground, on May 4, 2010

Singer Chely Wright will be sticking her boot into the traditionally conservative community by announcing she is a lesbian in People Magazine next week, TMZ reports.

The 39-year-old musician, who was named Academy of Country Music's Top New Female Vocalist in 1999, will be the first major country artist to come out.

Wright has seven albums under her belt and scored a number one hit in 1999 with "Single White Female." She has also written songs for Brad Paisley - with whom she has also been romantically linked - Mindy Smith and Richard Marx.






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