Laura Wright heads to Stagecoach

The greatest hits sets from country's finest will burn hotter than the heat in the California desert. Besides superstar Urban, also scheduled to perform are Billy Currington, Joey and Rory, legend Merle Haggard, Ray Price and Easton Corbin.

Wright and a few of her Soapnet co-horts will be anchoring the net's presence at the festival April 24 and 25. General Hospital's Wright will be joined by stars from One Life to Live and All My Children including Steve Burton, Bobbie Eakes and Kassie De Paiva.

Stagecoach exclusive

SheKnows: How did your participation in Stagecoach come about?

Laura Wright: We did it last year and it was such a success that I think we're, Soapnet, now their number one sponsor. It was awesome.

SheKnows: So since you know what you're in for heading back in 2010…is it safe to say you're looking forward to it?

Laura Wright: I can't wait. I'm super excited.

SheKnows: Having the experience of being there, could you tell our readers what the Stagecoach Music Festival is like?

Laura Wright: It's an awesome festival with great music. There's great food. The energy is so terrific. Last year, the weather wasn't super hot, but it was just a lot of fun. There was so many different tents and things to do -- the Soapnet tent had a Wheel of Fortune type thing going on -- and you could win iPods and iPod shuffles and things. That was fun. Great music, the food…it was amazing.

SheKnows: What was a performance that really stuck out for you?

Laura Wright: Hands down, the best live show I've ever seen -- Kid Rock just killed it.

SheKnows: I wondered…

Laura Wright: I didn't expect to feel that way.

SheKnows: Did Kid do his country-rock thing or his entire repertoire?

Laura Wright: He did all of it! He put on his gangster hat for his gangster rap and then he put on a cowboy hat for some country rock. He was amazing. He went 45 minutes longer than what he was supposed to play!

Stagecoach 2010

SheKnows: (Laughs) Who are you looking forward to seeing this year?

Laura Wright: (Without missing a beat) Keith Urban and Carlene Carter, she's my neighbor up here in San Dimas, California. Sugarland too! And the fans, I can't wait to see the fans.

SheKnows: It seems like a match made in heaven, the soap fan and country music fan…

Laura Wright: It really does…

SheKnows: Have you noticed that on your own over the years?

Laura Wright: I would say, it's funny, I'm on my second network, I was on ABC, then CBS and now I'm back on ABC. I definitely notice being back at ABC that the South really loves our show. That goes with the country theme here at Stagecoach.

Wright's reign

SheKnows: For you as an actress, I've talked to all sorts of performers and it is a big deal when a television show hits 100 episodes. I'm looking at General Hospital alone; you have starred in almost 700 episodes. That has got to be the most grueling yet rewarding schedule for an actress.

Laura Wright: I'll tell you, this June marks 20 years straight I've been doing it. I was on Loving for seven years, Guiding Light for 8, and then went straight to General Hospital almost five years ago. It's tiresome sometimes (laughs).

SheKnows: I can imagine.

Laura Wright: It's great. I've had a job as an actress, consistently working, for 20 years, I'm very lucky.

SheKnows: What would you say is the biggest misconception about working in soaps?

Laura Wright: Well, you're going to open a can of worms for me (laughs)! I'll talk! It's the people rolling their eyes. People say: I would never do a soap. Like I said, it's been treating me very well for 20 years and besides a handful of actors who stay on a primetime show for seven years, how long do they really last? I think I've outworked some of your primetime people.

SheKnows: The thing with soap operas is we're a blink-and-we're-over-it society when it comes to entertainment. Yet, die-hard soap opera fans stay with these shows for decades.

Laura Wright: It's true. It's a shame, too because there are a lot of good shows that come on in primetime and boy, if they don't hit within the first three weeks – they're gone. It is such a shame. Then, you have the takeover of reality shows mixed with that and it's just a hard business.

Read on for more laura wright

The Laura Wright and Tyler Christopher interview
Laura Wright talks about the 2010 Soap Cruise
Laura Wright talks to Soap.com