Chely Wright
(Q)- Getting in the music business, what has been the most shocking or surprising thing that you’ve learned?
Chely Wright (CW)- Gosh, what a good question! There’s been so many things that I have learned that I didn’t imagine I’d experience. One thing is for sure, I’m having more fun and this has been far more gratifying then I’d ever thought it would be. So, it’s a positive. I’ve always known it would be difficult. I’ve always known it would be a life in which life on the road would be hard on me. But, the relationships I’ve had with songwriters and the bonds that I formed with other artists and other artists, band members, those have been the hidden gems that I really didn’t anticipate.
(Q)- Where does your music and your own unique style of songwriting, fit within today’s country music genre?
CW- Boy, what a question!
(Q)- Why?
CW- Because objectivity has never been my strong suit.
(Q)-Well.
CW-I think that for some reason I have been allowed not only by the country music radio folks but the country music fan base at large, to “mature” right in front of their eyes over the past nine years. And, I often step back and look at that and say to myself, “Wow! That has been a unique experience!” Now, a lot of artists do get typecast by their radio hits. Especially if they go from a silly, trendy (country) song like a ditty, then that seems to be what they think people need to hear from them or want to hear from them.
(Q)- Or worse yet, demand from them.
CW- Yes, absolutely demand from them. Now my first hit, “Shut Up And Drive”, was kind of a novelty song and then, “Single White Female” was a ditty, but I followed it up with a song that I believe was one of the best songs that I ever recorded.
(Q)- So, how did that prevent you from being typecast?
CW- All I try and do is record the songs that I feel like I want to sing for twenty years. And then go out there and give the best type of show that I can. During my show, I don’t center around the ditty, I really like to pull out those album cuts that are great. I have made it no secret that I’m a fan of all types of music. Maybe my being vocal about that has also helped.