The singer Gary Wright, best known for his top-charting songs “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive,” has passed away. He was 80. No cause of death was disclosed; however, Wright’s son Dorian confirmed the news to Variety.
Wright, a founding member of the British band Spooky Tooth and a powerfully soulful singer and keyboardist became a sought-after session musician starting in the late 1960s. He contributed to all of George Harrison’s solo albums, including his seminal 1970 debut, “All Things Must Pass,” and Ringo Starr’s early singles as well as songs by Nilsson, Tim Rose, B.B. King, and many others. Even so, he will be best known for the mid-1970s hits mentioned above, which were a part of a style of synthesizer-driven hit single of the time (Steve Miller’s “Fly Like an Eagle” is another example) and which saw him perform on numerous music shows while decked out in satin and playing a keytar.
Wright, a New Jersey native, worked as a young performer on Broadway in a production of “Fanny.” Later, he made the decision to become a doctor and moved to Berlin to pursue his studies, but he didn’t stop performing with bands, including the New York Times. Wright met Chris Blackwell, the creator of Traffic’s company, Island Records, while the band was on a 1967 tour of Europe with Traffic. Jimmy Miller, the Traffic/Rolling Stones producer, was a common friend of the two, and Blackwell persuaded the young guitarist to visit London after being struck by his abilities. There, Blackwell put him in touch with Mike Harrison on piano, Mike Kellie on drums, and Wright on organ to form Spooky Tooth.
Wright co-wrote every song on the band’s first two albums, 1969’s “Spooky Two” and “It’s All About,” both of which were produced by Miller and generated significant attention in the music industry. The band’s members were all hired for session work, and several musicians covered their songs, including The Move, Judas Priest, and Three Dog Night. The Move frequently performed “Sunshine Help Me,” while Three Dog Night covered “I’ve Got Enough Heartache.” Wright eventually departed the band in 1970 because the group’s third album, “Ceremony,” was a creative blunder.
The excellent solo album “Extraction,” which he released in 1970 after signing with A&M Records, and two of its musicians—drummer Alan White and bassist Klaus Voorman—brought Wright into the Beatles’ sphere of influence. Phil Spector, who was Harrison’s producer as “All Things Must Pass” was being recorded, frequently requested more musicians. Wright was playing a different session across town when Voorman suggested he join Harrison. Upon receiving the call, Wright canceled that session and hurried over to EMI’s legendary Abbey Road studios, where he formed a connection with Harrison that would last for the rest of their lives.
Harrison even supported Wright during his appearance on American TV’s “Dick Cavett Show” in 1971. He contributed to all of Harrison’s solo albums as well as other associated projects, including Ringo Starr’s early singles “It Don’t Come Easy” and “Back Off Boogaloo”.
He continued to collaborate with Harrison the next year and revived Spooky Tooth, releasing two albums while doing so. Harrison and he both had an interest in Eastern faiths, and the two of them went to India together in 1974.
After the reunited band broke up once more, Wright moved to New York, teamed up with power manager Dee Anthony (who also managed Humble Pie and upcoming superstar Peter Frampton), and landed a record deal with Warner Bros. The Dream Weaver, his first album for the label, was released in 1975. Although the lead single was a slow starter, by the following spring it had become a massive smash, and Wright had established himself as a major star. But it took him over two years to release “The Light of Smiles,” and his future endeavors fell short of his earlier achievements. “Really Wanna Know You,” from 1981, was his final single to reach the charts.
However, he made an unexpected appearance in the 1992 movie “Wayne’s World,” singing a re-recorded version of “Dream Weaver.” In the years that followed, Wright specialized in instrumental as well as soundtrack work. However, he eventually returned to more traditional rock music and released a series of albums, the last of which, “Connected,” was released in 2010. In 2004, he reassembled Spooky Tooth once more, and he went on a lot of solo and Ringo’s All-Starr Band tours.
Chaka Khan recorded a fiery rendition of “Love Is Alive” for her 1984 smash album “I Feel for You,” while artists as diverse as Jay-Z and Tone-Loc have sampled his songs throughout the years.