Chely Wright's 2010 CD, Lifted Off The Ground. Photo courtesy of Vanguard Records.

In publicly announcing her homosexuality, Chely Wright has stepped over a figurative line that was drawn in the sand in country music years ago. She is not the first star who’s been rumored to be gay, but she is the first to publicly admit it, and it’s a step that leaves some observers scratching their heads.

It’s tough enough to get a recording deal. Tougher still to have hits. And it’s enormously difficult to hold a fan base together when there’s always a bevy of new artists attracting attention from consumers who only have so much money to spend.

The industry has long believed that country’s fan base won’t support a gay man or woman. Chely is essentially testing that theory with her admission in her new autobiography, Like Me.

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Chely Wright's 2010 CD, Lifted Off The Ground. Photo courtesy of Vanguard Records.

Chely Wright has announced to People magazine she is gay. Chely, who topped the charts with her song, “Single White Female” in 1999 and was the ACM’s Top New Female Vocalist in 1994, tells the magazine why she’d previously hidden her sexuality.

“There had never, ever been a country music artist who had acknowledged his or her homosexuality,” she explains. “I wasn’t going to be the first.”

Chely adds, “Nothing in my life has been more magical than the moment I decided to come out.”

The singer songwriter – who will release her new CD, Lifted Off the Ground,  and her memoir, Like Me, tomorrow – grew up in Kansas and always knew she wanted to be an artist. She also knew she should probably hide her sexuality. “I don’t have a memory in my life that doesn’t include the dream of making music.” She tells People. “I hid everything for my music.”

Chely will appear on the Today Show this Wednesday to discuss her decision to come out. For more on Chely, look for an interview with her on GACTV.com soon.

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Alan Jackson photo courtesy of SonyBMG Nashville.

The music business is rife with executives lamenting the downturn in album sales, but that doesn’t stop artists from turning out new CDs, and a bevy of projects are on the way in the coming months from Alan Jackson, Johnny Cash, Josh Turnerand Danny Gokey — all hoping to spur the rest of us to visit a store or a website and plunk down a few bucks for new music.

Even if the industry isn’t moving as much product as it used to, you can’t blame artists for continuing to put out new albums. The fact is if they only had one song to sing, they’d all be bored. Put out 10 or 12 or 20 — well, it certainly allows for a lot more opportunities to heat up the creative juices. And that’s what it’s all supposed to be about in the first place.

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Carrie Underwood was in Singapore last week visiting with Asian media, performing and promoting her upcoming album release, PLAY ON . Photo Credit: ION, Richard Kang, October 16, 2009

Country music has expanded its mission in recent years to include conquering international fans. Usually, that means potential music buyers in the United Kingdom, continental Europe and Australia. But several country acts — Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and Carrie Underwood — have put Asia on their personal calendars of late.

Last week, Carrie visited Singapore to spend time with Asian media in advance of her forthcoming album, Play On. While there, she played at the opening of the ION Orchard shopping mall, a sheltered, open-air venue.

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