R.I.P., Betty Wright
Bessie Regina Norris (December 21, 1953 – May 10, 2020), better known by her stage name Betty Wright, was an American Soul and R&B singer, songwriter and background vocalist. Beginning her professional career in the late–1960s as a teenager, Wright rose to fame in the 1970s with hits such as “Clean Up Woman” and “Tonight Is the Night”. Wright was also prominent in regard to the use of whistle register.
Born in Miami, Florida as Bessie Regina Norris on December 21, 1953, Wright was the youngest of seven children of Rosa Akins Braddy-Wright and her second husband, McArthur Norris. Wright began her professional career at the age of two when her siblings formed the Echoes of Joy, a gospel group. Wright contributed to vocals on the group’s first album, released in 1956. Wright and her siblings performed together until 1965, when she was 11 years old.
Following the group’s break-up, Wright, who was already using the name Betty Wright, decided to switch musical styles from gospel to rhythm and blues, singing in local talent shows until being spotted by a local Miami record label owner, who signed her to her first label (Deep City Records) in 1966 at 12. She released the singles “Thank You Baby” and “Paralyzed”, which found Wright local fame in Miami. In 1967, the teen was responsible for discovering other local talents such as George and Gwen McCrae, helping them sign with the Alston Records label TK Records, part of Henry Stone’s recording and distribution company. Her first album, My First Time Around, was released when she was age 14. Her first hit single was “Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do”. In 1970, while still in high school, she released “Pure Love” at the age of 16.
About a year later, Wright released her signature song “Clean Up Woman”, written by Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke when she was 17. The record reached number two on the R&B charts, where it stayed for eight weeks. It crossed over to the pop charts, peaking at number six and staying on the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks. It eventually sold over 1 million copies and was certified gold on December 30, 1971, nine days after the singer turned 18. Wright struggled with a successful follow-up until 1972 when the single “Baby Sitter” (one of Wright’s first compositions) reached the top 50 of the Hot 100 and peaked at number six on the R&B charts. Another hit that emerged during this early period was 1973’s “Let Me Be Your Lovemaker”, which peaked at number 55 on the Hot 100 and number 10 on the R&B chart, it was the first instance (after “Baby Sitter”) where Wright showed off her powerful whistle register vocals. Another successful composition was the proto-disco number “Where Is the Love” (co-written by Wright, with producers Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch, from KC & The Sunshine Band). This peaked at number 15 on the R&B chart, number-two on the dance charts and crossed over to the UK, peaking at #25, leading Wright to perform overseas. Wright later won the Best R&B Song Grammy Award for composing “Where Is the Love”.
A second prominent overseas hit was another proto-disco number “Shoorah! Shoorah!”, issued on Alston and written by Allen Toussaint. Both songs appeared on one of Wright’s most popular albums, Danger! High Voltage!, released in late 1974. It was on this album that Wright had her most successful composition, with the smooth soul ballad “Tonight Is the Night”, which Wright attributed to her first sexual experiences. The original version peaked at number 28 on the R&B chart. Four years later, Wright released a “live” version of the song. The remodeled version, which included a now-famous monologue and portions of Wright’s 1970 hit “Pure Love”, peaked at number 11 on the R&B chart in 1978.
In 1977, Wright discovered musician Peter Brown and sang background on Brown’s hits “You Should Do It” and “Dance with Me” (where her vocals were prominently featured alongside Brown’s) from the successful LP A Fantasy Love Affair. In 1978, she performed a duet with shock rocker Alice Cooper on the song “No Tricks”, and a year later, opened for Bob Marley on the reggae star’s Survival Tour.
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Personal Life
Wright was married three times and had five children. In 1976, Wright married Jerome McCray and together they had a daughter. Wright and McCray divorced in 1981. Wright was married to Patrick Parker from 1982 until 1983 and together they had two children. Wright was married to Jamaican musician Noel Williams, better known as King Sporty, from 1985 until his death in 2015. Together Wright and Williams had two children.
Wright died from cancer, on May 10, 2020 at her home in Miami. She was 66, and news of her death was first announced by her niece. Just two days earlier, fellow singer Chaka Khan had made a plea on Twitter saying “Calling all my #PrayWarriors. My beloved sister, Betty Wright @MsBettyWright, is now in need of all your prayers.”
Legacy
Several of Wright’s works have been sampled over the years by hip hop, rock and R&B musicians. In 1992, Wright sued the producers behind Color Me Badd’s breakthrough hit “I Wanna Sex You Up” after claiming they used the sample of her live version without clearance and without permission, and sued for royalties. Wright won her case, winning 35% of royalties for writing the song.
Wright won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song award for composing “Where Is the Love” at the 18th Annual Grammy Awards in 1976. She received one award from six nominations.
Read Ms. Wright’s full bio here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Wright
https://www.facebook.com/MsBettyWright/photos/rpp.178502908847360/3239927636038