Chely Wright: Gay! (VIDEO)

Chely Wright, a top young Country singer who was voted best new country artist ten years ago and has gone on to a successful career, is now being hailed as the first major Country singer to come out as gay.

Some are wondering how the Country & Western world, known for being conservative, will react to her news. I for one think we should give her audience more credit and not assume they will look down on her. People in "red states" are often more enlightened than they get credit for in the rest of the country, and can often be kind and compassionate. It will be interesting to see!

Chely Wright: Gay

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Country singer Chely Wright is the latest celebrity to come out. Wright tells People she's gay and that nothing in her life has been more magical than the moment she decided to reveal her sexuality. The 39-year-old says she experienced a community in which homosexuality was shunned and she "hid everything" for her music. Wright is releasing her memoir. 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.

Chely Wright: Gay