Music was a big part of Kristin Chenoweth's life even before she was born. In her tribute to her biological mom, Lynn, Chenoweth credited both her and her biological father, Billy Ethridge, with passing along their musical abilities. "In her belly, I became fans of Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan, Doyle Bramhall, Jimi Hendrix, and, of course ... my bio dad," the singer wrote. By contrast, her adoptive parents, Junie and Jerry Chenoweth, were chemical engineers who were less than musically gifted. Chenoweth joked in an interview with The New School for Drama that they have plenty of things in common besides music.
Still, they often played classical and jazz records for their daughter, and they supported her decision to study opera in college too. With both nature and nurture on her side, it would have been surprising if the "Wicked" star hadn't forged a career in music. Lynn first suspected the family connection after seeing Chenoweth appear on "The Tonight Show" around 2002, but it wasn't until 10 years later that they met (via the Daily Mail).
Lynn asked Chenoweth to forgive her for not being able to raise her at the time, as the Broadway star recalled to Katie Couric, to which the performer assured her there was absolutely nothing to apologize for. They quickly made up for lost time, becoming close and sharing their feelings until Lynn's death. "We didn't leave anything unsaid in the end," Chenoweth wrote. "I will miss her till the end of my days."
