Famous for his 1970s top chart songs ‘Dream Weaver’ and ‘Love is Alive,’ singer Gary Wright died on Monday morning (9.04,) at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California. He was 80 years old.
About the musicians passing, his son Justin told TMZ that his father had been previously diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia and revealed that Wright’s conditioned worsened in the past year leaving him unable to move or speak.
Raised in New Jersey, Wright entered the entertainment business as a child actor in the Broadway musical Fanny. Throughout his university days studying medicine in Berlin, Gary played with bands until music executive Chris Blackwell approached him to move to London and form the group Spooky Tooth with pianist Mike Harrison and drummer Mike Kellie.
After forming in 1967, the group recorded three albums – It’s All About, Spooky Two, and Ceremony – with Wright as their singer, co-writer, and organist. Following a conflict surrounding their third album, Wright left the band in 1970 and signed with A&M Records to release a solo album titled Extraction.
During his solo career, Wright befriended The Beatles’ George Harrison, who would later retain his services to play on his own solo albums, including 1970’s All Things Must Pass.
In 1972 Spooky Tooth regrouped and released two more LP before breaking up again in 1974. The following year, Wright released his most successful solo album, The Dream Weaver.
In 1992 Gary Wright appeared the film Wayne’s World, singing a re-recorded version of ‘Dream Weaver,’ released additional LP up to 2010, and reformed Spooky Tooth.
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: Dr Jean Fortunet