Country’s Most Shocking Moments – Chely Wright Comes Out

In May 2010, Chely Wright became the first major country artist to reveal that she is gay. By that time, she hadn't had a hit on the radio in almost 10 years, but she was still a name the Nashville community knew and respected.

Those feelings changed for many after her announcement, as well as her eventual marriage to Lauren Blitzer in 2011. Mostly, she says the industry kept quiet, silently ignoring her and keeping her out of events and performances she had long been included in. While the news was shocking, many would argue that taking so long for an artist to publicly come out was the real shocker.