Jump to content

Gary Wright "Dream Weaver"..."Love Is Alive" 'The Lost Interviews' Episode 4

Gary Wright Spooky Tooth Legendary Keyboardist/Singer/Songwriter on 'The Lost Interviews'

Play
26 min / Published

GARY WRIGHT 'THE LOST INTERVIEWS'

EPISODE 4

with RAY SHASHO

Gary Wright (April 26, 1943 – September 4, 2023)

 

Gary Wright is a celestial keyboard virtuoso, idyllic songwriter, and vocalist with powerful soulful pipes. Wright is an innovator of the synthesizer and over the years has managed to condense his many synthesized melodies into a single keyboard strapped around his neck.

Although born and raised in Cresskill, New Jersey, Wright founded the British rock group Spooky Tooth in 1967. Wright would later become most recognized for his two solo hit singles “Dream Weaver” in 1975 and “Love Is Alive” in 1976. 

Gary Wright will be joining the ‘Sail Rock 2013’ tour along with Christopher Cross, Orleans, Firefall, John Ford Coley, Robbie Dupree and Player beginning August 5th in West Allis, Wisconsin. Visit Pollstar.com for all the latest concert dates. 

SPOOKY TOOTH: Gary Wright joined the band 'Art' in 1967. The ‘V.I.P.’S’ morphed into 'Art' after several lineup changes since its inception in 1963. The British R&B music ensemble had featured various distinguished musicians including Mike Harrison, Greg Ridley, Jimmy Henshaw, Keith Emerson, Luther Grosvenor, Walter Johnstone and Mike Kellie. 

Keith Emerson (The Nice, ELP) left in 1967 when the name was changed to Art. The band eventually turned into Spooky Tooth with a lineup of Wright (organ, keyboards, and vocals), Harrison (vocals, keyboards) Ridley (bassist), Grosvenor (guitar, vocals) and Kellie (drums).

In 1968, Spooky Tooth released their debut album entitled … It’s All About. The album featured covers by Janis Ian and Bob Dylan. Most of the other tracks were either written or co-written by Gary Wright.

The bands next release Spooky Two (1969) released on Island Records was hailed by critics as one of their finest recordings. The album featured many of the bands standards including “Evil Woman” and “Better by You, Better Than Me” a tune written by Wright and eventually covered by Judas Priest in 1978.

Spooky Tooth quickly became a highly sought concert attraction and a mainstay on progressive rock radio. The band shared the stage with such legendary music acts as Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones.

Bassist Greg Ridley left in 1969 to join Humble Pie, Andy Leigh replaced him. 

Also in 1969, the group released Ceremony (Spooky Tooth and Pierre Henry album) a progressive collaboration with the French electronic composer.

Session musician: Wright left Spooky Tooth briefly to produce albums for Traffic and Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller and his production company. Gary Wright became an esteemed session musician and was asked to play on George Harrison’s triple- album set All Things Must Pass (1970).

Wright and Harrison began a long lasting friendship and musical collaboration that included Wright playing or sharing songwriting tasks on several of Harrison’s subsequent albums including … Living in the Material World (1973), Dark Horse (1974), Extra Texture (Read All About It)(1975), Thirty Three & 1/3(1976), George Harrison(1979), Cloud Nine (1987).

The Last Puff album (1970) primarily featured Mike Harrison while Wright focused on other projects. The release featured an incredible cover version of The Beatles, “I Am The Walrus.” Joe Cocker Grease Band members Henry McCullough, Chris Stainton and Alan Spenner were brought into the studio to work on the album.

In 1971, Gary Wright performed “Two Faced Man” with George Harrison on the Dick Cavett Show. He also played piano on Harry Nilsson’s #1 hit, a Badfinger cover tune entitled, “Without You.”

In 1972, Gary Wright and Mike Harrison reformed Spooky Tooth with a different lineup. The new lineup featured future Foreigner founder and guitarist Mick Jones.

Subsequent Spooky Tooth albums … (You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw (1973), Witness (1973), The Mirror (1974) and Cross Purpose (1999) (Reunion album without Wright, Greg Ridley returned).

Spooky Tooth disbanded in 1974.

Gary Wright and George Harrison visited India in 1974 as a guest of Ravi Shankar. Wright developed a long-term relationship with Shankar after the visit.

SOLO CAREER: Gary Wright released two critically acclaimed solo albums on A&M Records … Extraction in 1971 and Footprint in 1972.

Wright signed a record deal with Warner Brothers Records in 1974 and achieved his biggest commercial success with the release of The Dream Weaver album (1975). The single “Dream Weaver” reached #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart and #1 on the Cash Box charts. The album also spawned the hit “Love is Alive” (1976) reaching #2 on Billboard’s singles chart. The album peaked at #7 on Billboard’s Hot 100 albums chart.

The song “Dream Weaver” has been spotlighted on numerous television shows and motion pictures. “Love is Alive” was covered by several legendary artists including … Chaka Khan, Joe Cocker and Richie Havens.  The Dream Weaver album featured guest musicians …guitarist Ronnie Montrose, drummers Jim Keltner and Andy Newmark, Hammond organist David Foster and Bobby Lyle on additional synthesizers. In 1981, Gary Wright scored again commercially with “Really Wanna Know You” (#16 Billboard Singles Hit).

Gary Wright Solo albums … Extraction (1971), Footprint (1972), The Dream Weaver (1975), The Light of Smiles(1977), Touch and Gone (1978), Headin’ Home (1979), The Right Place (1981), Who I Am (1988), First Signs of Life (1995), Human Love (1999), Waiting to Catch the Light (2008), The Light of a Million Suns (EP) (2008), Connected (2010).

In 2004, Wright, Harrison and Kellie reunited Spooky Tooth for several concerts in Germany. As a result of their triumphant return, they released the Nomad Poets DVD in 2007.

The same lineup played a series of European dates in 2008.

Most recently: Gary Wright toured with Ringo Starr and His All-Star Band in 2008.

In 2010, Wright released his latest studio album entitled Connected and features guest artists … Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter.

Gary Wright is currently writing his 'memoir' for the Penguin Group and should be available sometime near the end of 2014.

I had the great pleasure of chatting with Gary Wright recently about ‘Sail Rock 2013,’ Spooky Tooth, George Harrison, the music business, metaphysics and much-much more.

 

Collages17.jpg

  • Gary Wright
  • Dreamweaver
  • Love is Alive
  • Spooky Tooth
  • George Harrison
  • Ray Shasho
  • Interviewing the Legends
  • The Rock Star Chronicles
Show notes

616550278_GaryWrightLostInterviews.jpg.25992675ef218806dc12312bdcee9309.jpg

Episode ratings
Please log in or sign-up to rate this episode.
Interviewing the Legends: Rock Stars & Celebs
A podcast by Rock Raymond
Interviewing the Legends with Your Host ... Music Journalist, Talk Show Host and Author Ray Shasho
Episode comments

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
What do you think about this episode? Leave a comment!

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×

Important Information

By using this website, you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.