Chely Wright

For a time, Chely Wright existed in the sweet spot between traditional and contemporary country, a gift that earned her acclaim during the mid-'90s. This praise, which included the Academy of Country Music naming her Top New Female Vocalist in 1995, would propel Wright toward the top of the country charts, with "Shut Up and Drive" reaching 14 in 1997 and "Single White Female" going all the way to number one in 1999. Wright couldn't sustain her commercial success in the 2000s but she wound up writing hits behind the scenes -- Clay Walker took "I Can't Sleep," a song he co-wrote...