Michelle Wright

Michelle Wright (born July 1, 1961 in Chatham, Ontario) is a Canadian country music singer. She is one of the country's most widely recognised and awarded female country singers, winning the Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMA) Fans' Choice Entertainer Of The Year Award twice in 1993 & 1995. Brian Ferriman of Savannah Music has been her manager for over 25 years.

Savannah Records (1986-1989)

Michelle Wright began recording her debut album, DO RIGHT BY ME, in 1985. She released it (in Canada only) in 1988 on Savannah Records. The same year, Reba McEntire recorded the title track and included it on her self-titled album, Reba, along with the songs "I Wish I Were Only Lonely" and "New Fool At An Old Game." Reba's version of "New Fool At An Old Game" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. Michelle also recorded "Rock Me Gently," originally written and recorded by Andy Kim in 1974, and included it on her debut album.

Arista Records (1990-2003)

Signed to Arista Records Nashville in 1990, Michelle had her first American country top 40 hit with "New Kind of Love" from her second album, MICHELLE WRIGHT.

She followed up with her most successful album to date, NOW & THEN, in 1992. The first single, "Take It Like A Man," was Michelle's first Billboard top 10 hit and the video reached #1 on Country Music Television (CMT-US). She scored her third Billboard top 40 hit with the album's third single, "He Would Be Sixteen."

On the strength of "Take It Like A Man," Michelle went on to win the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Top New Female Vocalist award in 1992, beating out fellow newcomers Martina McBride and Joy Lynn White. Michelle catapulted to superstardom in Canada the same year, receiving a total of twelve music industry awards, including the Canadian Country Music Association's Fans' Choice Entertainer Of The Year award and double platinum honours for NOW & THEN. The momentum generated by her next release, THE REASONS WHY (1994), enabled Michelle to headline a triumphant 40-city Canadian concert tour during the first quarter of 1995, at that time the most extensive tour in the history of the country music business in Canada. She hosted the 1995 Canadian Country Music Awards and finished the evening in grand style, receiving her second award as the CCMA's Fans' Choice Entertainer Of The Year.

In 1996 Michelle released her third Arista Nashville project, FOR ME IT’S YOU. Perhaps her most personal album, it reminds Michelle of the important relationship she enjoys with her fans. "For me it is them, because when I get on that stage every night, no matter what's going on in my world, the audience makes me feel like, for right now, I'm okay, for right now, I'm full of joy." FOR ME IT'S YOU marked the first time one of Michelle's own songs, "What Love Looks Like," was available to her American fans.

In 1999 in Canada, Michelle released her first ever Greatest Hits compilation, simply titled The Greatest Hits Collection. The album was later released in the United States in January, 2000. The Canadian version featured twelve singles covering her career from 1990-1996, two new songs ("When I Found You" and "I Surrender"), her gospel version of "People Get Ready," and "Walkin' After Midnight," a track recorded for Patsy Cline's Duets album. The U.S. version, simply titled Greatest Hits, featured only ten songs.

In early 2000, Michelle's collaboration with pianist Jim Brickman,"Your Love," became her first top 20 Adult Contemporary (AC) hit. In 2002, Michelle released the album SHUT UP AND KISS ME. With Michelle co-writing eight of the CD's twelve tunes, SHUT UP AND KISS ME showcased Michelle's development as a songwriter and led to her signing a songwriting contract with BMG Music in Los Angeles.

Icon Records (2005-2010)

In 2005 in Canada, Michelle released her first ever holiday album, A WRIGHT CHRISTMAS on Icon Records. Since then, she has released two singles off the album, "I Know Santa's Been Here" and "Joy to the World." She tours most years to support the album with her "I'm Dreaming of a Wright Christmas" show. The album was released on her management's label, Savannah Music, in the United States and the rest of the world in 2008.

In 2006, Michelle returned to the scene with her current country album, EVERYTHING AND MORE, released in Canada on Icon Records. Six singles have been released from the album, "Everything and More," "Love Me Anyway," "I've Forgotten You," "Dance In The Boat," "Riding Around The Sun" and "I Don't Wanna Be That Strong." Also included on the album is "My Give a Damn's Busted," a song originally recorded by Joe Diffie and Jo Dee Messina. EVERYTHING AND MORE was released around the rest of the world on Savannah Music in late 2008.

Savannah Music (2010-present)

Effective as of July, 2010, Savannah Music now releases and markets Michelle's music in Canada as well as the rest of the world. Michelle is currently writing songs for her next studio album, slated for worldwide release in mid-2011. In the meantime, in the latter half of 2010, Michelle is rereleasing a repackaged and remastered CD version of her 1988 Savannah debut, Do WRIGHT BY ME, followed shortly by an acoustic album, THE WRIGHT SONGS.

To date, Michelle has sold nearly 2 million albums and received over 30 major awards in the United States and Canada. She has performed on every continent except Antarctica. Michelle is also very involved in humanitarian efforts in her capacity as an artist affiliate of the child sponsorship organization World Vision Canada.