Country Music Star Chely Wright Comes Out of the Closet

"Shut Up and Drive" singer, 39, confirms the news today that she's a lesbian

By Marc Malkin May 03, 2010 3:32 PMTags
Chely Wright Ron Wolfson/WireImage.com

The guessing game is over.

After speculation ran rampant on the Internet last week about a gay celebrity who was set to come out of the closet, country music star Chely Wright confirmed the news today...

Most famous for her singles "Shut Up and Drive" and "Single White Female," the now 39-year-old musician was named Top New Female Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music in 1997.

This week Wright is releasing not only a new album, Lifted Off the Ground, but also a memoir, Like Me, which includes her struggles as a closeted lesbian in the ultra-conservative world of country music. And, yes, she finally gives the real story behind her romance with fellow country crooner Brad Paisley, her duet partner on the song "Hard to Be a Husband, Hard to Be a Wife."

I recently chatted with Wright and will have all the details from our one-on-one right here on Wednesday. She's also set to appear on the Today show that day.

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