Billy Wright (musician)
| Billy Wright | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Wright |
| Also known as | Prince of the Blues |
| Born |
May 21, 1918 or 1932 Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Died | October 28, 1991 (aged 59-73) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Genres | Soul blues, jump blues, R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | Late 1940s–1980s |
| Labels | Savoy, Peacock |
William "Billy" Wright (May 21, 1918 or 1932 – October 28, 1991) was an American jump blues singer. He is considered one of Little Richard's greatest influences.
Wright was born in Atlanta, Georgia. There is uncertainty over his year of birth. He claimed to have been born in 1932, but the researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc have stated that he was born in 1918, on the basis of official records and a newspaper obituary; other sources suggest 1928.
As a child, Wright excelled at singing gospel music in his local church. In his youth, he worked as a dancer and as a female impersonator, but developed as a singer when he began performing at Atlanta's 81 Theater. The saxophonist Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams saw Wright's performance when the two shared a bill with Charles Brown and Wynonie Harris. Williams recommended him to Herman Lubinsky of Savoy Records.
His first record, "Blues for My Baby", recorded with Howard Collander's orchestra, rose to number 3 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1949. He had three more records on the R&B chart: "You Satisfy" (number 9, 1949), "Stacked Deck" (number 9, 1951), and "Heh, Little Girl" (number 10, 1951). A flamboyant performer, he was known as the "Prince of the Blues" throughout his career. He was a key figure in Atlanta blues after World War II and had a major influence on the rock-and-roll pioneer Little Richard, whom he helped get his first recording contract in 1951.
In 1954, Wright signed a contract with Peacock Records, owned by Don Robey, in Houston, Texas. He made his last recordings in 1959, but primarily worked as an MC in Atlanta. He continued to perform until he suffered a stroke. He then died of a pulmonary embolism, just before his 1991 Halloween show at the Royal Peacock in Atlanta.
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