OV Wright | Artist

Overton Vertis Wright was an American soul and blues singer born 1939 in Lenow, Tennessee. A legendary deep soul performer, Wright's melismatic vocals and Willie Mitchell's pumping Hi Rhythm Section combined to make classic Memphis soul during the early '70s. Wright is generally regarded as a blues artist but is also regarded as one of Southern soul's most authoritative and individual artists. His best known songs include "That's How Strong My Love Is" (1964), "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" (1965), "Nucleus of Soul" (1968), "A Nickel and a Nail" (1971), "I Can't Take It" (1971) and "Ace of Spades" (1971). Wright began singing in the church as a youngster. In 1956, while still in high school, he joined The Sunset Travelers gospel group as one of the lead singers. He later fronted gospel music group, the Harmony Echoes. It was during this time that he was discovered (along with James Carr) by Roosevelt Jamison, a songwriter and manager. Their first pop recording in 1964 was "That's How Strong My Love Is," a ballad later covered by Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones. Although his hits were mainly popular in the deep South, Wright had a big influence on many other major soul and blues singers, including Robert Cray, Otis Clay, Taj Mahal as well as young soul singer Reggie Sears, among many others. Wright was imprisoned for narcotics offenses during the mid-1970s, and, despite a new recording contract with Hi Records that led to a series of new album releases, commercial success did not follow his release from jail. Wright continued to battle drug addiction in the last years of his life, and in 1980, he died from a heart attack in Mobile, Alabama, at the age of 41. In his lifetime Wright release nine consistently strong studio albums plus many fine singles. Standout albums include (If it is) Only For Tonight (1965), 8 Men and 4 Women (1967), A Nickel and a Nail and Ace of Spades (1972), Memphis Unlimited (1973), Into Something (Can't Shake Loose) (1977), and The Bottom Line (1978). Wright is among the most remembered voices of soul music, perhaps mostly for being sampled frequently in hip hop music by artists such as Ghostface Killah, Shaolin Soul, Slim Thug, and the Wu-Tang Clan. O.V. Wright was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame in 2024.

Artist Website : wikipedia/O._V._Wright

Featured Albums: OV Wright

Related Artists: Overton Vertis Wright, James Carr