Michelle Wright

Last updated

Michelle Wright
Michelle Wright.jpg
Michelle Wright in December 2004
Background information
Born (1961-07-01) July 1, 1961 (age 62)
Chatham, Ontario, Canada
Origin Merlin, Ontario, Canada
Genres Country
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1980–present
Labels Savannah, Arista Nashville, RCA/ViK. Recordings, Icon, Navigator Records
Website michelle-wright.com

Michelle Wright (born July 1, 1961) is a Canadian country music artist. She won the Canadian Country Music Association's Fans' Choice Award twice (1993 and 1995). In 2011, Wright was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.

Contents

Wright's primary success has been in her native Canada, where she has charted more than twenty-five singles, including six Number One hits: "Take It Like a Man", "One Time Around", "Guitar Talk", "One Good Man", "Nobody's Girl" and "Crank My Tractor". She also had chart success in the United States in the 1990s, landing in the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts with "Take It Like a Man" at No. 10, "He Would Be Sixteen" at No. 31 and "New Kind of Love" at No. 32.

Career

Early life

Michelle Wright was born on July 1, 1961, in Chatham, Ontario. Wright grew up in the small nearby town of Merlin where her parents were both local music performers. By 1980, when Wright was in college studying counseling for the mentally disadvantaged, she joined a local band with whom she performed until 1983.

That year Wright started her own band. [1] She performed with her own band until 1988. [1] In 1985, while performing with her band, Wright signed a record deal with Savannah Records. The next year she released her debut single, "I Want to Count on You", which peaked at No. 48 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

Wright's debut album, Do Right by Me , was issued in 1988 and produced seven more singles, including Wright's cover of the 1974 Andy Kim hit, "Rock Me Gently", which reached No. 7 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. The album's success in Canada led to a record contract with Arista Nashville. Wright became one of the label's flagship artists. [2]

1990–1993: Breakthrough success

In April 1990, Wright's first American single, "New Kind of Love", was issued and became her first "Top Five" hit in Canada, in addition to peaking at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in the United States. Her second album, Michelle Wright , was released in July 1990. To support the album, Wright was added as an opening act to Kenny Rogers 1991 tour. [3] The album became a success in Canada.

That year, 1990, Wright was awarded Female Artist of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association. The following year she was awarded Album of the Year for Michelle Wright, Single of the Year for "New Kind of Love", and Female Artist of the Year again by the Canadian Country Music Association. [4]

Due to the success of her album Michelle Wright and single "New Kind of Love," Wright relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1991 to spend more time advancing her career. [2] When in Nashville, Wright began to record her third album, Now and Then , released in May 1992. The album's first single, "Take It Like a Man", became an instant hit, reaching No. 1 in Canada on the RPM Country Tracks chart and No. 10 in the United States on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. In Canada, the song also crossed over to the adult contemporary charts, peaking at No. 18. The song received the Single of the Year award from the Canadian Country Music Association in late 1992.

In 1993, the album earned Wright the award for Top New Female Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music. She appeared on the CBS television special, Women of Country, where she performed "Take It Like a Man" and the Mary Chapin Carpenter song, "The Hard Way," with several other artists including Carpenter. Now and Then went on to produce six more singles, including the Canadian number one hits "One Time Around" and "Guitar Talk". The album also contained the single, "He Would Be Sixteen", which reached No. 31 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and No. 3 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. It was awarded Single of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association in 1993. Also in 1993, Wright won the Fans' Choice Award from Canadian Country Music Association, which she would also win in 1995.

1994–1999: Further success

In 1994, Wright released the first single from her upcoming album, "One Good Man", which became her fourth number one single in Canada; but it didn't reach the top 40 in the United States. Wright's fourth album, The Reasons Why , was released in September 1994 in Canada. Plans for the album to be released in the United States were delayed and eventually cancelled. [5] The album was also released in Europe after a Wright completed a successful tour in mid-1994. [6] In early 1995, Wright embarked on a 40-city tour in Canada, which at that time was the most extensive tour in the history of country music in Canada. [2]

In August 1996, Wright released her fifth album, For Me It's You , following the release of the first single, "Nobody's Girl", which reached No. 1 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks and No. 57 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The album marked Wright's first album to be released in the American market in four years. [7] The album went on to be successful in Canada, producing three Top Five singles in "Crank My Tractor", "The Answer Is Yes", and "What Love Looks Like". The album was not a success in the United States. In a 1997 interview with Jam!, Wright admitted that she was "very disappointed" and "not happy with what [U.S. radio] did with this album". [8]

During 1997, Wright was awarded the C.F. Martin Humanitarian Award by the Canadian Country Music Association for her international work with the Special Olympics; her successful fundraising efforts for St. Joseph's Hospital in Chatham, Ontario, the hospital where she was born; and her support for the Manitoba flood relief fund. [2]

In 1999, U.S. radio welcomed Wright back when her 1997 duet with pianist Jim Brickman was released to radio. The song, "Your Love", failed at country radio, but gave Wright her only American adult contemporary hit when the song peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. [2] Despite the song's success at AC radio, it would be Wright's last charting single in the United States.

In October 1999, Wright's first greatest hits album, The Greatest Hits Collection , was released in Canada. The album included two new songs, "I Surrender" and "When I Found You", both of which were Top Ten hits on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. In 2000, Arista Nashville released the American version of her 1999 greatest hits album in the United States. The album contained a different track list than the Canadian version. The album was Wright's final release with Arista Nashville.

2000–present: Success today

In 2002, Wright was transferred to RCA Records/ViK. Recordings. That year she released her sixth studio album, Shut Up and Kiss Me , in June 2002. The album showed Wright in a more pop-driven styled than her previous work. [9] Wright co-wrote eight of the album's twelve songs, and recorded songs by successful songwriters such as Shelly Peiken, who wrote pop singer Christina Aguilera's 1999 hit, "What a Girl Wants". [9] Shut Up and Kiss Me also contained a more pop-oriented version of her 2000 single, "I Surrender." This version had been used for the song's music video and pop radio release.

In 2004, Wright started her annual Christmas tour, Dreaming of a Wright Christmas. A year later Wright signed with Icon Records and in October 2005, she released her first Christmas album, A Wright Christmas in Canada. The album featured covers of eleven Christmas song and one new song, "I Know Santa's Been Here", written by Canadian country singer Patricia Conroy. The song was issued as the album's first single in December 2005. A Wright Christmas was released digitally in the United States 2007 and Europe in 2008.

In June 2006, Wright returned to country music by releasing her first new album in four years, Everything and More in Canada. In 2007, Everything and More was made available digitally in United States.

In 2011, Savannah Music Canada released Wright's first live album, The Wright Songs: An Acoustic Evening with Michelle Wright. The album features seventeen tracks, including singles and unreleased album cuts.

Wright released a new single, "Another Good Day," to Canadian country radio on April 24, 2012. She released a new single entitled "Strong" to radio in April 2013. Wright's first album of original material in seven years, Strong , was released on July 9, 2013.

In 2015, Wright signed with Chuck Thompson, President of the Nashville-based Thompson Entertainment Group, for management.

In 2018, she signed with Navigator Records and the label released her first brand new music since the release of Strong. "Lovin' This Day" and "Attitude Is Everything" were released as singles with an "old-school" A side song and a B side song configuration across all digital platforms on the Navigator Records label.

For 2019, Navigator released Wright's recording of the holiday classic "Silver Bells," produced by fellow Canadian Bob Funk, to launch the A Wright Christmas: 2019 with concert dates across Alberta and Ontario.

Michelle's newest album, titled "Milestone" will be released on August 26, 2022.The album features nine new tracks, followed by a new recording of her 1992 hit, "Take it Like A Man"

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Induction

In 2011, Wright was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame at a special gala dinner and award ceremony in Hamilton, Ontario. Wright, the year's artist inductee, was recognized for her outstanding contributions to Canada's country music landscape. Wright has been acknowledged within the collections of the National Music Centre in Calgary, Alberta since 2014.

Other work

Wright appeared as a country music star in an episode in Season 4 of the Canadian TV series Due South. The episode, entitled "Mountie Sings the Blues," deals with the Mountie's efforts to protect Wright's character, Tracy Jenkins, from a stalker. She sings "Nobody's Girl" at the conclusion of the episode.

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pam Tillis</span> American country music singer-songwriter

Pamela Yvonne Tillis is an American country music singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She is a daughter of country music singer and songwriter Mel Tillis and ex-wife of songwriter Bob DiPiero. Tillis recorded unsuccessful pop material for Elektra and Warner Records in the 1980s before shifting to country music. In 1989, she signed with Arista Nashville, entering top-40 on Hot Country Songs for the first time with "Don't Tell Me What to Do" in 1990. This was the first of five singles from her breakthrough album Put Yourself in My Place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackhawk (band)</span> American band

Blackhawk is an American country music group founded in 1992 by Henry Paul, Van Stephenson, and Dave Robbins. Prior to the group's formation, Paul had been a member of the Southern rock band Outlaws, while Stephenson was a solo rock artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolyn Dawn Johnson</span> Canadian country music singer-songwriter

Carolyn Dawn Johnson is a Canadian country music singer-songwriter. Johnson co-wrote Chely Wright's 1999 single, "Single White Female," which reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in September 1999. Johnson was signed, in 2000, to record label Arista Nashville.

<i>Whoevers in New England</i> 1986 studio album by Reba McEntire

Whoever's in New England is the tenth studio album of American country music artist Reba McEntire released on February 10, 1986, through MCA Nashville. It is her first #1 album on the Billboard country albums chart, producing two singles that were #1 country hits: "Whoever's in New England" and "Little Rock".

Linda Kaye Scott is an American country music singer. Before beginning a career as a solo artist, she had three minor country singles in the charts as one half of the duo Skip & Linda. In her solo career, Davis has recorded five studio albums for major record labels and more than 15 singles. Her highest chart entry is "Does He Love You", her 1993 duet with Reba McEntire, which reached number one on the Billboard country charts and won both singers the Grammy for Best Country Vocal Collaboration. Her highest solo chart position is "Some Things Are Meant to Be" at No. 13 in 1996. Davis is married to the country singer Lang Scott; her daughter is Hillary Scott of Lady A.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nobody's Supposed to Be Here</span> 1998 single by Deborah Cox

"Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" is a song by Canadian recording artist Deborah Cox, released as the lead single from her second studio album, One Wish (1998). Written by Montell Jordan and its producer, Anthony "Shep" Crawford, the song was released on the same day as the album, on September 15, 1998, by Arista Records. It is Cox's most successful song, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks and spending a then-record 14 weeks at number one on the Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart. In 2017, Billboard ranked the song at number five on its "Greatest of All Time Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs" chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara Evans discography</span>

The discography of American country music artist Sara Evans consists of ten studio albums, three compilation albums, two extended plays, one video album, three additional albums, 39 singles, and four other charted songs. After briefly recording with "E and S Records", Evans reworked her musical direction and signed with RCA Nashville in 1997. Her debut album, Three Chords and the Truth, was released in July 1997. Although the singles were unsuccessful, it was critically acclaimed. Her second studio album was released in September 1998 entitled No Place That Far. The title track reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart. The success helped the album earn gold certification in the United States. Evans' third studio album, Born to Fly, was released in October 2000. Born to Fly reached number six on the Top Country Albums chart and the top-sixty of the Billboard 200. Its title track became her second number-one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart. The album also spawned the hits "I Could Not Ask for More", "Saints & Angels", and "I Keep Looking". It is the best-selling album of Evans' career, having been certified 2× platinum in the United States. In August 2003, she released the pop-inspired Restless, whose lead single "Perfect" reached the Top 5. Restless was certified platinum in the United States shortly after the success of its third single "Suds in the Bucket", which became Evans' third number one hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Brokop</span> Musical artist

Lisa Ann Brokop is a Canadian country music singer/songwriter and actress. Active since 1990 in the country music field, she has released a total of seven studio albums and has charted more than twenty singles on the country music charts in her native Canada. Several of these singles have also crossed over to the American country music charts, although she has not entered the Top 40 in the U.S.; her highest-charting songs, "Give Me a Ring Sometime" and "Take That", both peaked at No. 52 in 1994. Her highest chart single is the No. 8 "Better Off Broken" from 1999 in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Love (Amy Grant song)</span> 1994 single by Amy Grant

"House of Love" is a song by American Christian music singer Amy Grant, recorded as a duet with country singer Vince Gill. It was released in November 1994 as the second single from her House of Love album in the United States and the fourth and final single from the album in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett James</span> American singer-songwriter and record producer

Brett James Cornelius is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer based in Nashville. James' compositions have been credited on 494 recordings by a wide variety of artists. Signed to Career Records as a solo artist in 1995, James charted three singles and released a self-titled debut album that year. He returned to Arista as a recording artist in 2002, releasing two more singles.

<i>Now and Then</i> (Michelle Wright album) 1992 studio album by Michelle Wright

Now and Then is the third studio album by the Canadian country music artist Michelle Wright. It was released on May 22, 1992, on Arista Nashville. The album's first single, "Take It Like a Man", became Wright's first number one hit on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart and her only top ten hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. Two more singles, "One Time Around" and "Guitar Talk", also topped the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faith Hill discography</span>

American country music singer Faith Hill has released seven studio albums, four compilation albums, and 46 singles. All of Hill's studio albums have been certified Gold or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<i>Right in the Middle of It</i> 1996 studio album by Chely Wright

Right in the Middle of It is a studio album by American country artist Chely Wright. The album was released January 9, 1996 on PolyGram/Mercury Records and contained 11 tracks. The album was co-produced by Ed Seay and Harold Shedd. Although critically acclaimed, the album was not successful. Three of its singles charted in lower-end positions on the North American country charts, which later influenced Wright to leave the label.

<i>Let Me In</i> (Chely Wright album) 1997 studio album by Chely Wright

Let Me In is the third studio album by American country music artist Chely Wright. The album was released on September 9, 1997 on MCA Nashville Records and was produced by Tony Brown. Let Me In was Wright's first album to chart on the Billboard Magazine album charts and also spawned her first Top 40 singles. It was also the first of three albums Wright recorded for the MCA Nashville label.

<i>Single White Female</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Chely Wright

Single White Female is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Chely Wright. The album was released on May 18, 1999, by MCA Nashville Records. It was produced by Tony Brown, Buddy Cannon, and Norro Wilson. Unlike her previous albums, she had very little input in the writing, only writing or co-writing two of the album's ten songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pam Tillis discography</span>

The discography of American country music singer–songwriter, Pam Tillis, contains 14 studio albums, six compilation albums, one video album, 45 singles, 25 music videos and has appeared on 11 albums. Tillis's career was launched on the Warner Bros. label, where she releases several unsuccessful singles and her debut studio album: Above and Beyond the Doll of Cutey (1983). Through Arista Nashville, her second studio album was released in January 1991 titled Put Yourself in My Place. The disc was her first commercial success, reaching number ten on America's Billboard Top Country Albums chart, number 69 on the Billboard 200 and number 12 on Canada's RPM country chart. The disc also certified gold in both countries and spawned five charting singles. Of these releases, "Don't Tell Me What to Do", "One of Those Things" and "Maybe It Was Memphis" reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. In September 1992, her third studio album was released called Homeward Looking Angel. The disc certified both gold and platinum in North America, while also spawning the Billboard and RPM top ten singles "Shake the Sugar Tree" and "Let That Pony Run".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathy Mattea discography</span>

The discography of American country music artist, Kathy Mattea, contains 17 studio albums, four compilation albums, five video albums, one extended play (EP), 51 singles, 27 music videos and has made 19 additional album appearances. Under PolyGram and Mercury Records, Mattea's first two albums were releases: her eponymous debut album (1984) and From My Heart (1985). In 1986, Walk the Way the Wind Blows reached number 13 on America's Billboard Top Country Albums chart and spawned four top ten Billboard Hot Country Songs singles: "Love at the Five and Dime", the title track, "You're the Power" and "Train of Memories". It was followed by Untasted Honey (1987), which was Mattea's first album to certify gold in the United States. Of its four singles, "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" and "Goin' Gone" both topped the Billboard country chart. In 1989, PolyGram/Mercury released Willow in the Wind, which also certified gold and reached number six on the Billboard country albums chart. Its first single, "Come from the Heart", topped both the American and Canadian country charts. Its remaining three singles were also top ten North American country chart songs: "Burnin' Old Memories", "Where've You Been" and "She Came from Fort Worth".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take It Like a Man (Michelle Wright song)</span> 1992 single by Michelle Wright

"Take It Like a Man" is a song written by Tony Haselden, and recorded by Canadian country music artist Michelle Wright. It was released in February 1992 as the first single from Wright's album Now and Then. The song became Wright's first Number One on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks charts that year. It was also her only top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in the United States. Country singer Lari White is featured on background vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One of Those Things</span>

"One of Those Things" is a song written by American country music artists Pam Tillis and Paul Overstreet and recorded by Tillis on Warner Bros. Records. The song was released as a single in June 1985, but did not chart. After signing with Arista Nashville in 1989, Tillis re-recorded the song and released it as the second single from her 1990 studio album Put Yourself in My Place in April 1991. This version reached number six on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

American country music artist Crystal Gayle has released 15 music videos and 68 singles, including six as a collaborative artist, four as a featured artist, and six promos. Gayle's debut single was 1970's "I've Cried " via Decca Records, which reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Encouraged by her sister to develop her own musical style, Gayle signed with United Artists Records where she began recording country pop material. That year "Wrong Road Again" reached number 6 on the country chart, launching several major hits including "I'll Do It All Over Again" and her first #1 hit, "I'll Get Over You". She released "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" in 1977 which became her signature song and brought her crossover pop success. It topped the country chart, reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became an international hit. Its success elevated her career and was followed by three more number-one country singles: "Ready for the Times to Get Better", "Why Have You Left the One You Left Me For", and the top-twenty pop hit "Talking in Your Sleep".

References

  1. 1 2 "Michelle Wright – Biography". CMT.com . Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Michelle Wright: Biography". Michelle Wright. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  3. ↑ Friedlander, Mira (August 18, 1991). "Kenny's opening act". Toronto Star . Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  4. ↑ Cox, Wendy (September 16, 1991). "Michelle Wright sweeps Country Music Awards". Toronto Star . Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  5. ↑ "The Time Is Wright for Arista Singer". Billboard . July 13, 1996. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  6. ↑ Currie, Harry (July 7, 1994). "Going places Wright's career gets further boost with European tour". Toronto Star . Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  7. ↑ Tarradell, Mario. "Country COMEBACKS: Michelle Wright finds the going rough". The Dallas Morning News . Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  8. ↑ "Michelle Wright gets in the act". Jam!. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved September 20, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. 1 2 "Country's Wright couldn't resist the pull of pop". Toronto Star. June 27, 2002. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.