John Rich responds to Chely Wright

John Rich has responded to fellow country singer Chely Wright's allegation that his anti-gay comment sent her into a "meltdown".

According to Entertainment Weekly, the Big & Rich singer had said to Wright "You're not gay are you?" to which the now-out songstress responded: "No John, I'm not." Rich allegedly shot back, "Good, I'm glad."

"That began a spiral for me. I had a meltdown shortly after that," Wright insisted.

Rich responded to the charge with the following: "I would never pass judgment on any friend of mine. I feel awful that, at this time in Chely’s life, my decade-old comment - 'Good, thank God' - was taken the wrong way. I was clumsily trying to express my relief that even a country boy like me had a one-in-a-million chance of having a beer with a woman as talented and attractive as Chely."

Meanwhile, Wright still has doubts about her former friend.

"I think he sees what it feels like to take on the gays, and he didn't like it," she said. "And I think he may not want to take this on. So he may say, "Um, I love Chely. I can love the sinner, hate the sin.' He may say that. I don't have to believe it."