Judy Wright

Judy Wright's recent success has been remarkable. Her album was on the American chart for 26 weeks; her mainstream single was played across the country and on XM Radio was Bill Mack's Dynamic Disc Discovery. Her soulful version of "You Are My Sunshine" drew rave reviews from dozens of reviewers and radio programmers.

Music has been Wright's obsession for as long as she can remember. She was just three years old when she gave her first public performance (at the local United Methodist Church). And she was 12 when she joined her family's gospel group, the Wright Messengers. As a teenager, she formed Judy Wright and the Midnight Angels and toured through Illinois. Wright recalls her childhood as idyllic and often revisits it in her songs. "I grew up in a town where I was in everybody's house," she says, I knew everybody. That creates a different kind of girl. I had an excellent youth, an excellent upbringing. It's really helped me with my songwriting. It's brought out the spirituality and the depth that's in me."

Given her musical leanings, it was inevitable that she would eventually move to Nashville. She studied voice at Vanderbilt's Blair School of Music, appeared on local television shows and worked both as a soloist and as a lead singer for various bands. Along the way, some of the biggest names in the business liked what they heard in her voice and offered aid. Ralph Emery booked her on his popular early morning TV show. Hank Snow put her on the Grand Ole Opry Gospel program. Even the great Chet Atkins weighed in on her behalf.

"I was playing out at the Opryland Hotel -- six hours a night," Wright says, "back when they were doing the 'Nashville Now' show from the (nearby) Stagedoor Lounge. I saw (Chet Atkins) out in the lobby and went over and introduced myself. He invited me to his office. We became friends, and he taught me how to finger-pick the guitar. I hung out with him for a while. It was an experience."

Later Wright signed on as lead singer for the band Solid Jackson. "It had a 1940's sound," she says. "I did things like 'Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine,' 'Don't Get Around Much Anymore,' 'Funny Valentine,' 'Makin' Whoopee' and all those old tunes." She soloed on various stages at the Opryland Hotel for "two or three years," where she dutifully performed the current pop country hits and took requests from the crowds. "I knew a ton of songs back then," she says. "And I still do." Her self-titled album of lyrical and vocal sophistication-- The album is rootsy country, tasty and timeless.