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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZWRIGHT, O.V.(b Overton Ellis Wright, 9 October 1939, Memphis TN; d 16 November 1980 in an ambulance in Birmingham AL after his third heart attack) Soul singer and songwriter, highly regarded for powerful, moody style, but never had as much personal success as he deserved. He sang with gospel groups Sunset Travellers, Spirit Of Memphis, Highway QCs; he recorded his own 'That's How Strong My Love Is' but Otis Redding had the hit on it in 1965. Wright had R&B hits and crossed over to the pop Hot 100 with 'You're Gonna Make Me Cry' '65, 'Eight Men, Four Women' '67, and the chilling 'Ace Of Spade' '70 on the Duke-Peacock subsidiary Back Beat; he later recorded for Hi. 'He sang and lived the sadness of his life. He was a singer's singer,' a friend said. Some soul singers sometimes faked it, but not Wright; his was deep soul that came from the church, but he sang about love and grief instead of Jesus. Label boss Don Robey sent him to record with the brilliant producer Willie Mitchell and the Hi Records rhythm section, long before he actually recorded for that label. He had multiple marriages, a heroin addiction and once went to jail for possession; he put it all into the music: 'Drowning On Dry Land', 'I've Been Searching'. 'He'd sit down and start wringing his hands,' said Mitchell. 'I'd say, "Let's sing it now." I don't know if that was his way of concentrating, but he'd wring it out of himself.' In 2008 a music journalist discovered that there was no headstone, and a fund-raising appeal on the Internet raised $2000. There was a celebration at the Ground Zero Blues Club in Memphis, attended by Memphis soul royalty. The Soul Of O.V. Wright CD was on Duke-Peacock from MCA, a good collection; 2-CD The Complete O.V. Wright on Hi covered his later career, one studio disc and one disc live in Japan. |