On Sept. 11, 1999, Chely Wright’s “Single White Female” hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Carolyn Dawn Johnson and Shaye Smith wrote the song, the lead single and title track from Wright’s set that Tony Brown, Buddy Cannon and Norro Wilson produced.
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Wright was born on Oct. 25, 1970, in Kansas City, Mo. She followed her dreams to Nashville in 1989, eventually signing with Polydor and winning for top new female vocalist at the 30th Academy of Country Music Awards in 1995. She shifted to MCA Nashville in 1997 and “Single White Female” became her ninth of 17 Hot Country Songs appearances, logged in 1994-2005, and stands as her sole top 10.
Then-MCA Nashville president Tony Brown told Billboard in 1997, “She called me for lunch, and said, ‘Would you be interested in me if I get free?’ You know, you look around town at every label and you sort of have your wish list of people who might become available. Nine times out of 10, it’s not the big headliners. But then you come to an artist who has been around for a couple of albums and is not quite established, but you know they’re just waiting for that break. This has happened to me several times before, with Steve Earle, Marty Stuart, Vince Gill. If you grab them at the right time, you can really slam a home run.”
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A testament to her courage, Wright came out as the first openly gay artist in the format, sharing her story in her 2010 memoir, Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer, published by Random House.
Wright continues her work as an advocate and speaker for gay rights and still tours and records. She released her most recent album, Revival, in March 2019.