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by Scott Juba Published: March 14, 2005
 In some parts of the nation, country music is unfortunately considered to be less sophisticated than other genres of music. One listen to Chely Wright's recently released "Metropolitan Hotel", however, should dispel that myth. "I went out on a little bit of a limb to go to my gut," Wright says of the album. "I told some stories that are true and revealed some situations that are difficult and inherent and part of my history. On this album I'm definitely naked." Her hit single, "The Bumper of My S.U.V." (which she wrote based on personal experience), is a song about patriotism and appreciation for the US Armed Forces that extends beyond the bitter partisan divide that separates our nation. "When I first played the song for our troops, the response was so emotional, not just for them but for me," Wright says. "I was moved to tears, and I've never lost my cool on stage before in my entire career. I finally had to blow my nose on stage. That's what finally broke up the emotion. We all laughed." Since then, Chely has continued to perform shows for US troops, and those concerts always make a lasting impact on her. "When you get to shake the hand of a solider in Iraq and play a show for him," Wright says, "and the next day he gets killed and you know you were his last moment of fun, it gives you a renewed sense of purpose and appreciation for getting up every day." Besides the admiration for the armed services that she displays in her music, Wright also continues to win over fans with her approach to live performances. "My friend Minnie Pearl once told me, 'If I ever find you going out on the stage and simply singing your songs, I will whip your hide. If they wanted to just hear your songs, they'd listen to your record. You leave a piece of yourself in every town that you play.' And I think that's really important. She said, 'Don't you ever turn down an autograph. Don't ever get too big for your britches.' And I think that's how the greats in our industry are. I've watched Garth Brooks stop and talk and share and listen when he didn't know anyone was looking. I've watched him take his hat off and open a door for an old lady when he thought no one was looking. He's never turned down an autograph. I can guarantee you that." In addition to being recognized for her poignant music and her fan friendliness, FHM Magazine selected Wright as one of the twenty hottest women in music. Despite the attention, however, she maintains a modest outlook on life. "It's all smoke and mirrors," she says. "It's all about what your publicist does for you. I did a four-page layout in FHM, and I was in People Magazine. Those things come and they're neat. When I'm eighty, I'll be able to tell my grandkids, 'Look, people thought your grandma was cute.' But I don't put a lot of stock into that. It's always great to be recognized. Anything you can do to have more people know your name so that they might possibly listen to your music is great. It's cool, but I don't walk around thinking that I'm something." Although humble, Wright's career achievements prove that she is a star on the rise. It's clear that she has all of the right stuff to become one of country music's top female performers. Links Official Site Amazon.com |
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