Charles Wright (musician)

Charles Wright (born April 6, 1940) is an American singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. He has been a member of various doo wop groups in the late 1950s and early 1960s as well as a solo artist in his own right. He is also the former leader and writer of hits for the group, Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band.

Charles Wright
Born (1940-04-06) April 6, 1940
Clarksdale, Mississippi, United States
GenresDoo wop, R&B, Funk
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsPiano, guitar
Years active1950s-present
LabelsABC, Capitol, Dunhill, Philips, Warner Bros.
Associated actsJesse Belvin, The Gallahads, Leo’s Five, The Shields, The Shields, The Twilighters, The Turks, Johnny Guitar Watson, Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band

Background

Wright was born on April 6, 1940, in Clarksdale, Mississippi, United States.[1] The seventh of twelve children, he was raised on a cotton plantation. Years later, he would refer the sharecropping era as "The next shade after slavery". According to the book Up from Where We've Come, the sharecropper that owned that plantation was a cruel man by the name of Edward Miles. When Wright was 12, the family moved to Los Angeles. Contrary to his father's rule of not allowing his children to listen to secular music, he began listening to popular music and became mesmerized by it. Jesse Belvin was a singer that he heard on the radio was to have a significant influence on the young Wright and who became his mentor. After hearing Belvin on the radio, he looked up his number in the phone book and contacted him. He was told by Belvin to stop copying his sound and find his own. Later, Belvin took Wright under his wing and helped him get started. This association lasted until 1960, but stopped because Belvin died in a car crash at the age of 27. The following year, Wright had his first hit record.[2]

Wright is best known for his role as band leader of the group Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, which had the classic 1971 hit "Express Yourself".[3] He has been associated with Johnny Guitar Watson, touring with him and playing on early recordings by him.[4][5] He also added his vocals to an album by The Watsonian Institute.[6] For a very brief period, Wright managed singer Bill Withers.[7][8]

His is also the author of the book Up from Where We've Come.[9]

Career

1950s to 1960s

Early in his career, he was a member of The Shields, an LA based doo wop group that recorded in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Johnny Guitar Watson and Jesse Belvin had also been members of the group. Wright took the lead when he replaced lead singer Frankie Erivin.[10] According to Tony Hilder, Wright and Belvin sang on the recorded version of the Shield's release "You Cheated". The song bw "That's the Way it's Gonna Be" was released on Tender 513 in 1958.[11][12] Also that year, a record that Write helped compose with Fred Lowery and Fred Stryker, "No Other Love" was recorded by The Blossoms and released on Capitol F4072.[13][14]

Wright and Belvin became involved with A&R man Hilder who had worked for the Kent/Modern organization.[15][16] With the assistance of Hilder, Wright penned "You're Unforgettable".[17] It was recorded by Billy Watkins. Released in 1959 on the Challenge label, it was backed with "Rendezvous", a Robert Hafner composition. It was given a B+ rating by The Cash Box in its October 17 issue.[18][19] It was also a prediction to do well by Billboard that month, and it was already charting locally that year.[20][21] In early 1960, Hilder had come to San Luis Obispo to find a backing band to back Wright and Watkins on a tour. Norman Knowles of The Revels offered up his band to back them but Hilder didn't take up his offer.[22]

Around 1962, a single "Latinia" bw "Runky" was released on Titanic 5003. According to Robert Dalley's book, Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands of the Sixties, the backing band was Bob Vaught's band, The Renegaids.[23][24] The A side was written by Thomas Nuñes and Mark Hilder while the B side was written by Wright along with B. Adkins and B. Morgan.[25][26]

By early 1966, and now recording as Charlie Wright, he had a single out on the Capitol label. Along with singles by The Mar-Keys and Percy Mayfield, Wright's single, "Help Yourself" was predicted to reach the R&B Singles chart.[27]

In 1969, Capitol released "I Don't Have To Dream" bw "She Taught Me What Love" by Bobby Sheen. Wright wrote the A side song Wright and the B side he co-wrote with Sheen.[28] Wright also had played guitar in one of the bands Sheen was in.[29]

1970s to present

By late August 1970, Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band had entered the Billboard Soul Chart with "Express Yourself".[30] It would eventually peak at No. 3 on the rhythm and blues chart and No. 12 on pop chart.[31] This was one of about eight charting hits that he wrote for the band.[32]

Discography
Singles
Act Title Release info Year Notes
Charlie Wright "Help Yourself" / "Number One" Capitol 5576 1966
Charles Wright "(I'm Living On) Borrowed Time" / "Keep Saying (You Don't Love Nobody)" Philips 40411 1966
Charles Wright "Soul Train" / "Run Jody Run" Warner Bros. WB 7600 1972
Charles Wright "You Gotta Know Whatcha Doin'" / "Here Comes the Sun" Warner Bros. WB 7630 1972
Charles Wright "(Well I'm) Doin' What Cums Naturally" Part 1 / "(Well I'm) Doin' What Cums Naturally" Part 2 ABC/Dunhill D-4364 1973
Charles Wright "you Threw It All Away" / "The Weight Of Hate" ABC/Dunhill D-4381 1973
Charles Wright "Is It Real?" / "Don't Rush Tomorrow" ABC/Dunhill D-15027 1975
Charles Wright "You Gotta Know Whatcha Doin" / "Here Comes The Sun" Rhino R7 74167T [33]
Albums
Act Title Release info Year Notes
Charles Wright Rhythm And Poetry Warner Bros. BS 2620 1972 LP
Charles Wright Doing What Comes Naturally ABC/Dunhill DSD-50162 1973 LP
Charles Wright Ninety Day Cycle People ABC/Dunhill DSD-50187 1974 LP
Charles Wright A Lil' Encouragement ABC 8022-867 1975 8-Track
Charles Wright of The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band Going To The Party Memories Records 2001-2LP 1997 CD
Charles Wright Music For The Times We Live In M$WM Records 2002-2LP 2002 CD
Charles Wright of The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band High Maintenance Woman' A Million Dollars Worth of Memories Records 2003-LP 2004 CD
Charles Wright Finally Got It...Wright A Million Dollars Worth of Memories Records M$WM 2003-2-7-LP 2006 CD
Charles Wright of The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band with The Gallahads My Love Affair With Doo-Wop A Million Dollars Worth of Memories Records 758794-2004 2004 CD [34]

Other
Publications
Title Credited author Publisher Year ISBN Notes
Up: From where We've Come Charles Wright Million $ Worth of Memories Records 2016 1521116849 [35]

References
  1. The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul, Colin Larkin - Page 354
  2. The Philadelphia Tribune, May 5, 2017 - Charles Wright is still expressing himself - Bobbi Booker
  3. CounterPunch, March 18, 2016 - Charles W. Wright, Musician: Where He’s Been and What He Saw by Seth Sandronsky
  4. The Gangster of Love: Johnny "Guitar" Watson: Performer, Preacher, Pimp, By Vincent Bakker - Page 360
  5. The Gangster of Love: Johnny "Guitar" Watson: Performer, Preacher, Pimp, By Vincent Bakker - Page 449 Literature & References
  6. Discogs - Watsonian Institute – Master Funk, Credits
  7. The Great Drummers R&B Funk & Soul, By Jim Payne - Page 127 About Bill Withers:
  8. KCET, August 15, 2012 - ARTBOUND, MUSIC, In the Pocket with James Gadson: An Essential Mixtape - Oliver Wang
  9. CounterPunch, March 18, 2016 - Charles W. Wright, Musician: Where He’s Been and What He Saw by Seth Sandronsky
  10. Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups, By Mitch Rosalsky - Page 515 Shields (Los Angeles)
  11. Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups, By Mitch Rosalsky - Page 515 Shields (Los Angeles)
  12. Who Put the Bomp, No.14, Fall 1975 - Page 12 The Tony Hilder Story, By BILL BLAIR & JOHN SMART
  13. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series - Page 1491 Current Registrations 1958
  14. American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to Today, By Jay Warner - Page 80 The Blossoms
  15. Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups, By Mitch Rosalsky - Page 515 Shields (Los Angeles)
  16. Who Put the Bomp, No.14, Fall 1975 - Page 12 The Tony Hilder Story, By BILL BLAIR & JOHN SMART
  17. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series, Volume 14, Part 5, Number 1, Music January - June, 1960 - Page 139, 1960, Current Registrations
  18. 45Cat - Billy Watkins - Discography, USA, You're Unforgettable (After You've Been Kissed)
  19. The Cash Box, October 17, 1959 - Page 14 The Cash Box Best Bets
  20. Billboard, October 5, 1959 - Page 37 SPECIAL MERIT SPOTLIGHTS
  21. First Pressings: 1959, Galen Gart - Page 148
  22. Intoxica!, The Best Of The Revels - Sundazed Music SC 11020 CD booklet, Page 7 It's Party Time, Norman Knowles and The Revels
  23. Alyzemusic.com - Charles Wright And The Malibus - Latinia / Runky
  24. Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands of the Sixties, By Robert J. Dalley - Page 230
  25. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series - Page 270 LATINIA
  26. 45Cat - Charles Wright And The Malibus - Discography
  27. Billboard, February 5, 1966 - Page 16 SPOTLIGHT SINGLES, R&B SPOTLIGHTS, CHART
  28. 45Cat - Bobby Sheen - Discography, USA
  29. Barley Bros Records, June 12, 2010 - Bobby Sheen, The Bobby Sheen Anthology
  30. Billboard, August 29, 1970 - Pahe 29 Soul, Billboard BEST SELLING Soul Singles
  31. Broadway World, Mar. 26, 2017 - Broadway in Leimert Park Opens with 'Express Yourself' Singer Charles Wright
  32. Music VF.com - Songs written by Charles Wright, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography
  33. 45Cat - Charles Wright - Discography, USA
  34. Discogs - Charles Wright, Discography, Albums
  35. Up: From Where We've Come, Charles Wright - Bibliographic information
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