Gary Wright, the singer, songwriter, and keyboardist known for his work both with the band Spooky Tooth and as a solo artist, died on September 4 2023 at the age of 80.
Gary Wright was born on April 26 1943 in Cresskill, New Jersey. As a child actor he appeared on television on the TV show Captain Video and His Video Rangers. He also appeared in TV and radio commercials. In 1954 he appeared on Broadway in a production of the play Fanny. He studied both piano and organ. While attending Tenafly High School in Tenafly, New Jersey, he was a member of various rock bands. It was in 1959 that he made his first professional recording along with Billy Markle as the duo Gary & Billy. The single "Working After School" was released in 1960, but did not chart.
Concerned about the instability of a music career, Gary Wright decided to become a physician. He studied medicine at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, then New York University and Downstate Medical College in Brooklyn. He went to the Free University of Berlin in West Germany to complete his medical studies. The whole time he continued to play in bands. It was while he was in Berlin that he toured with a band called The New York Times.
The New York Times was touring with Traffic when Gary Wright met Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records, the label to which Traffic belonged. Chris Blackwell persuaded Gary Wright to go to London. It was in London that Gary Wright formed Spooky Tooth with pianist Mike Harrison and drummer Mike Kellie. Spooky Tooth was signed to Island Records and their first album, It's All About, was released in June 1968. Their second and third albums, Spooky Two and Ceremony, were released the following year. Gary Wright left Spooky Tooth following Ceremony.
It was in 1970 that he signed with A&M Records to pursue a solo career. His first solo album, Extraction, was released that same year. Gary Wright also performed on George Harrison's solo album, All Things Must Pass. It was following his second solo album that Gary Wright reformed Spooky Tooth with Mike Harrison. Gary Wright would record three albums with the newly formed Spooky Tooth, You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw, Witness, and The Mirror. Gary Wright and Mike Harrison also worked on the duo Splinter's debut album The Place I Love.
Following the break-up of Spooky Tooth, Gary Wright signed with Warner Bros. Records as a solo artist and recorded the album The Dream Weaver. The album proved to be a hit and peaked at no. 7 on the Billboard album chart. The single "Dream Weaver" from the album went to no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single "Love is Alive," from the same album, also went to no. 2 on the chart. His next album, The Light of Smiles, peaked at no. 23 on the Billboard album chart. In total, Gary Wright released twelve studio albums from 1970 to 2010. His 1979 single "Really Wanna Know You" went to no. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Gary Wright also wrote soundtracks for films, including Benjamin (1972), Endanger Species (1982), and Feuer und Eis (1986). He reunited with Spooky Tooth in 2004 and their DVD/CD Normal Poets--Live in Germany was released in 2007. In 2008 he toured with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. He joined up with Spooky Tooth in 2009 for a series of concerts in London celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of Island Records. He toured again with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band in 2010 and 2011.
Gary Wright was a very talented songwriter. While best known for his hit "Dream Weaver," he composed many other songs that would have a lasting impact. Some of the songs he wrote for Spooky Tooth, such as "Sunshine Help Me," "That Was Only Yesterday," and "Better By You, Better Than Me," would be covered by other artists. His solo hits "Dream Weaver," "Love is Alive," and "Really Wanna Know You" remain popular to this day. He was also one of the most gifted keyboardists in rock music. He could play multiple styles, ranging from bluesy piano to more classical sounding keyboards. He was also among the first rock artists to use a portable keyboard, utilising the instrument as early as the mid-Seventies. As if being a talented keyboardist wasn't enough, Gary Wright also had a powerful voice. His vocals could be by turns dreamy or soulful. Gary Wright was an incredible talent, and he will continue to have an influence on rock music for years and years to come.
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