Do you ever envy your sister Ashley?

I was warned before I did this interview that this question would be asked, and how did I want to respond to it. When I first heard it, I grew very frustrated and very defensive and quite cranky. Any time anyone asks anything like that about me, my first immediate response is, “Hell, no.” But then I have to remind myself that everyone is curious.

I’m the big sister; let’s get that straight. I have always felt like Ashley’s sister-mommy. I helped raise Ashley while Mom was out working two and three jobs at a time. I was the one often left with Ashley to feed her and to make sure she did her chores and mine as well. It’s because of me that Ashley is even alive, and I’m certain that I will be included in her first Oscar speech. I’m sure a big thank-you will be given to me for the fact that I did let her live to see her day at the Oscars.

I love my sister so much; I feel often times that she does belong to me. Though my mother gave birth to her, Ashley has always been not only my playmate but my soul mate. Often times, when we lived back in the country with no TV or telephone (thank you, mom), it was Ashley and me. We were all we had, and to this day, Ashley and I have a strong bond because we have been through so much together, like riding in the back of U-Haul trailers year in, year out, moving from state to state because of our gypsy mother. I share a very special bond with Ashley because she understood my dreams and I understood hers when no one else did. When I would sit and sing, Ashley would say, “You have a beautiful voice,” and I’d say, “Yeah, someday you’re going to pay to come hear me sing.” Then she’d say, “Yeah, well, I’m going to be a big movie star,” and then I’d sit on her until she peed in her pants. Where do you think Ashley gets all her drama from?

Anyone who ever asks that question, I hope that you understand that Ashley and I have no sense of competition at all because Ashley has known from the time she was very small that she was going to be an actress. She’s always been very, very dramatic. I always knew I wanted to be in music and have been lucky to have that success, and now watching Ashley is much like watching myself all over again. Ashley is an extension of me. She’s not separate from me, but she’s very much inside me and in my heart as well as any time I ever see her, I either cry or clap, and I often times embarrass myself because you have to understand, Ashley’s my baby. Anyone who ever doubts that, then you don’t really know us very well.

But I will admit, there is one time when I started to go, “Wow, I wish I were younger,” and that was after I had my second child, Grace. I was at home experiencing postpartum depression, and I got a call from Ashley, and she was somewhere over in Europe gallivanting around with her fiancé Dario Franchitti, and I thought to myself, “Boy, it must be nice to be so young, free, and I miss those days.” There’s one time in our relationship when we’re competitive, and it’s all-out war playing board games. Whatever board game it is, it is my job to not only win, but to call her for days afterwards and remind her who’s boss. It doesn’t matter who else is in the room. It’s all about the two of us. It’s so funny.

-Wynonna (CMTs 20 questions w/Wynonna)
CMT Online

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