Alright, so we were all wrong. Those sleepless nights wondering who was going to be the next team member were for naught. Queen Latifah isn't coming out lesbian and neither is Shelby Lynne or Ke$ha (ok, maybe that was just for me), but luckily, the conservative glass bubble known as country music may never be the same.
According to the New York Daily News, country singer Chely Wright will be announcing she is a lesbian in the upcoming issue of People magazine, due out May 5.
"There had never, ever been a country music artist who had acknowledged his or her homosexuality," she told People.com, "I wasn't going to be the first."
However, Wright has done so and three is no looking back.
"Nothing in my life has been more magical than the moment I decided to come out," she said.
Hollywood Publicist Howard Bragman - the man behind Meredith Baxter's coming out and Chaz Bono's announcing he is trans - announced several weeks ago to look for a major coming out story in this week's issue of People. Who knew it was going to make such a splash in the bible belt?
For those of us that think "country music" is a signatory breakfast with two sunny side up eggs and a side of bacon at Denny's, we may need a little recap on who this gal is and what she is known for.
The 39-year-old singer was named Academy of Country Music's Top New Female Vocalist in 1999 and has seven albums under her belt (not too shabby!) Wright also had a number one hit with "Single White Female" in 1999 (no, not the movie starring Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh.)
As the first major country artist to come out, Wright has written songs for country music sensation Brad Paisley, whom she was once romantically linked (surprise, Brad!) and also wrote lyrical notes for Mindy Smith, Clay Walker and Richard Marx. Don't worry, we've never heard of these people either.
Last month, the singer released her new single, Broken and will release her new album Lifted off the Ground on May 4. Her memoir Like Me will be available on the same day. So, it's really no surprise that she scheduled her big coming out event for the same week.
The lesbian community just got cuter because this country girl is just adorable!
We're actually just glad it wasn't Mariah Carey...
Learn more about Chely Wright by checking out her website here.
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