Country music guitarist Chris Rodriguez was convicted on a misdemeanor assault charge earlier this month in Nashville. The 61-year-old musician, a member of the group Generation Radio, allegedly hit his wife, Charlotte Medley, with a closed fist and choked her in June 2021. Rodriguez has performed with countless major country stars, including Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Kenny Rogers and Keith Urban.
Police were called to Rodriguez and Medley’s home on June 13, 2021, in Nashville after receiving a report of a domestic disturbance, according to the original affidavit obtained by Saving Country Music. Medley told the officers she and Rodriguez were out that night and came home separately. She could see Rodriguez was angry about something, so she tried to protect herself by barricading herself in the bedroom. Before she could put a chair in front of the door, Rodriguez came in and allegedly started hitting Medley with a closed fist.
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Medley fell on the bed, and Rodriguez allegedly began choking her. She did not lose consciousness but told police she could not breathe. After she fell to the floor, Rodriguez allegedly continued hitting her with a fist until she pushed him off and tried to strike back. He left the room, so Medley barricaded herself in the room and called the police. Officers saw bruises on the left side of Medley’s face, swelling, and an abrasion on her right arm, according to the document.
Rodriguez was arrested on June 17, 2021, and convicted on July 28, 2022. He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of Assault with Bodily Injury, a misdemeanor. He was originally charged with felony Aggravated Assault โ Strangulation. He also faced a criminal contempt charge because he allegedly violated a protection order. According to Davidson County Criminal Court records, Rodriquez was ordered to serve an 11-month, 29-day suspended sentence and will be on probation. He was also ordered to pay $774 in court costs.
Rodriguez became a popular session guitarist for country musicians in Nashville. He was a member of Twain’s “The Woman in Me” tour band in 1995 and 1996 and joined Urban on tours from 2005 to 2010. He also toured with LeAnn Rimes, Kelly Clarkson, and Faith Hill. He recorded with Parton, Twain, Rogers, Urban, Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, and many others. He also serves as a guitarist with Generation Radio, alongside Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, Chicago’s Jason Scheff, and Journey’s Deen Castronovo.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.