Gary Wright Biography, Net Worth, Obituary, Songs

Gary Malcolm Wright, an American musician popular for his hit single Dream Weaver is dead at 80 – below is his biography.

On September 4, 2023, the sad death of Gary Weaver was reported in various media across the world.

Wright’s son Dorian confirmed the news of his death to Variety – he was 80 years old.

Gary Wright was a pioneer of using synthesizers in rock and pop music, and a collaborator of George Harrison and other notable artists.

In this blog post, we will explore Gary Wright biography, life, career, net worth, and songs, and pay tribute to his legacy.

Gary Wright biography

Early Life and Career

Gary Wright was born on April 26, 1943, in Cresskill, New Jersey.

Despite making his name as a singer, Wright actually started his career as a child actor, appearing on Broadway in the musical Fanny and on TV shows like Captain Video and His Video Rangers.

He developed his interest in music after learning to play piano and organ.

However, Gary had not yet decided to become a musician in his early years and instead wanted to become a doctor.

He traveled to Berlin to study medicine but continued playing with bands, including one called the New York Times.

During his time with the New York Times, the group went on tour with Traffic.

He met Chris Blackwell, founder of Traffic’s label, Island Records — during this time. Blackwell and Wright had a mutual friend in Traffic/Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller — who was impressed with the young musician’s talent and convinced him to come to London

In 1967, Wright moved to London and joined the band Art, which soon changed its name to Spooky Tooth.

Spooky Tooth was a British blues rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with albums like Spooky Two and You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw. Wright was the keyboardist and one of the main songwriters of the band.

During his time in England, Wright befriended and formed one of his more lasting associations with George Harrison, the former Beatle who had a solo career.

Wright played keyboards on Harrison’s landmark album All Things Must Pass in 1970, and also joined him on his Concert for Bangladesh in 1971.

Their friendship ended up significantly influencing Gary Wright as he was impressed by Harrison’s spirituality and interest in Indian culture, which would later inspire his own music.

In 1970, Wright left Spooky Tooth to pursue a solo career.

He formed a short-lived band called Wonderwheel, which included future Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones.

He also released two solo albums, Extraction and Footprint, which featured contributions from Harrison and other musicians.

Dreamweaver

Wright’s breakthrough came in 1975 with his third solo album, The Dream Weaver.

The album was one of the first to be recorded entirely with synthesizers, creating a distinctive sound that blended rock, pop, and electronic music.

Wright said that he wanted to create “a sonic landscape that would take people away from their everyday problems”.

The album contained arguably the two biggest hits of Wright’s career and the songs he would eternally be known by -, “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive”.

Both singles reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“Dream Weaver” was a ballad that expressed Wright’s spiritual vision of transcending the physical world whilst “Love Is Alive” was a funky groove that celebrated the power of love.

Both songs became classics of the 1970s and have been covered by many artists over the years.

Dream Weaver was a commercial and critical success, selling over a million copies and earning Wright a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male.

It also established him as a pioneer of synthesizer-based music, influencing artists like Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, Prince, and Depeche Mode.

Wright continued to release albums throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, but none of them matched the success of The Dream Weaver.

His last top 20 hit was “Really Wanna Know You” in 1981, from his album The Right Place.

He also ventured into film soundtrack work, composing music for movies like Fire and Ice and Wayne’s World.

Gary Wright Death

The ‘Dream Weaver’ Gary Wright died on September 4, 2023, at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California.

He was 80 years old.

Wright had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia five years earlier.

His son Justin Wright announced his death on social media, saying that his father “passed peacefully surrounded by family”.

According to Justin, his father’s Parkinson’s symptoms had gotten considerably worse in the past year, unfortunately leaving him without the ability to speak or move much.

He added that home nurses who had cared for the musician informed his family members a few days ago that he was nearing the end.

Meanwhile, his other son, Dorian, took to Instagram to reveal he was able to spend the morning sitting in ‘lotus by’ his father’s side chanting and meditating for 2 hours.

“As I chanted his last chant I watched him take his last earthly breath. Thank you Dad for letting me help you leave your body for the Astral Plane!” he wrote.

Gary Wright is survived by his wife Rosemary and four children.

During his later years, particularly in the 1990s and 2000s, Wright had embraced new world music and new age genres, releasing albums like First Signs of Life and Human Love.

He also reunited with Spooky Tooth for several tours and albums.

He remained close friends with Harrison until the latter’s death in 2001, and performed at his memorial concert in 2002.

Net Worth and Songs

Gary Wright was a popular American musician whose net worth at the time of his death was estimated at $10 million.

He earned his fortune through his music career as a solo artist and a band member. He also had royalties from his songs being used in movies, TV shows, commercials, and video games.

Some of Gary Wright’s most popular songs include:

– Dream Weaver

– Love Is Alive

– Really Wanna Know You

– My Love Is Alive

– Touch and Gone

– Made to Love You

– Phantom Writer

– Can’t Find the Judge

– Blind Feeling

– Power of Love

Gary Wright was a talented and influential musician who left a lasting mark on the history of rock and pop music.

A pioneer of the use of synthesizers as a main instrument, he managed to create a unique and innovative sound.

Wright wrote and performed many memorable songs that touched millions of listeners around the world. He will be remembered as the Dream Weaver of music.

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