Country Artist Chely Wright Comes Out

Country artist Chely Wright is speaking out about her sexuality after years of keeping silent.

“Historically, we’ve never had an out country music artist, ever,” Chely recently told Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson.

“Early in my life, I went through what I think a lot of gay people go through, thinking that I could change and pray it away,” the 39-year-old, who recently penned her memoir, “Like Me,” explained.

Chely told Shaun that she felt she was living a lie, especially when it came to her relationship with fellow country music star Brad Paisley, who was not aware that she was gay.

“When I realized he was wanting forever with me…I could see the damage I was doing to him, and I cut him off completely, cold turkey,” she added.

Chely recalled a difficult encounter she had with friend and country star John Rich, of Big and Rich, where he questioned her sexuality – something that sent her into a tailspin.

“He said, ‘You’re not gay are you?!’ I said, ‘No, John, I’m not.’ He said, ‘Good, thank God.’ And that began a spiral for me,” she recalled. “I had a meltdown shortly after that.”

The country star also revealed that she even considered taking her life in 2006.

“I was looking at myself in a mirror…as I was about to do it,” she explained. “I just looked at myself and something snapped and I started to cry…and I realized I have too much to live for.”

Chely said she’s very aware that the country music community might not receive her revelation well.

“I may lose my career in country music, that will break my heart, but it’s OK,” the singer, who is dropping her new album, “Lifted off the Ground,” on May 4 told Access. “I have a lot of different pieces of my heart that matter and that’s what I’ve come to learn.”

Tune in to Access on Wednesday for our entire interview with Chely.

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