Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Wrong on Wright

As a country music fan, I like Chely Wright. I believe she is an incredibly talented singer whose songs were equally fun (Sea of Cowboy Hats), heartfelt (I Already Do) and...uh....somewhat risque (Jezebel).

So two years ago I didn't suddenly dislike Wright's music when she publicly announced that she is a homosexual. Naturally many cultural elites focused their attention on the country music industry, waiting to pounce on their alleged intolerance.

Leave it to Oprah's buddy Gayle King to finally just come out and say it (Emphasis mine).


The Obama-supporting anchor targeted the country music industry for supposedly giving Wright the cold shoulder: "I'm a little disappointed and surprised by the reaction of the country music industry....they do seem, Chely, to have rejected you, ever since you came out."

King also gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up the musician's new documentary about her "coming out process." The CBS personality gushed, "Chely Wright, I have to say, your documentary took my heart and ripped it out a couple times when I was watching you."

The close associate of Oprah Winfrey previewed the Wright interview: "When she opened up about being gay, the door to country music stardom closed.

As I said at the outset, I personally love Wright's music. Unfortunately not enough other people do but it has nothing to do with her being gay. You see, Wright came out only two years ago. However, she hasn't had a top 40 hit since 2004, including her last four singles which didn't even chart. Wright isn't so much shunned from the industry for being gay as much as she's just not a big draw anymore. It's business.

For whatever reason, country music has seen scores of artists burst onto the scene only to vanish in less than five years. Does anyone happen to recall the names Wade Hayes, David Lee Murphy, Ty Herndon(Whoops. He's gay - ed.), Jeff Carson, Doug Supernaw and Bryan White? All topped the country charts in the mid-90s (around the same time Wright burst onto the scene) but none had any real success once the 21st century rolled around.

Maybe the country music industry also has a vendetta against heterosexual white males.

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