Biography
21 May 1932, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, d. 28 October 1991, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. A promising gospel singer as a child, Wright would often sneak into Atlanta’s famous 81 Theater to watch the secular shows and eventually turned to performing the blues. His soulful voice came to the attention of Savoy Records, who secured a US R&B Top 5 hit with his debut record ‘Blues For My Baby’ in 1949. Other less successful releases followed, but Wright’s strength was in his live performances, earning him the nickname - Prince Of The Blues. After his Savoy tenure, Wright recorded for Peacock in 1955 and then passed on the baton to his devoted admirers Little Richard, James Brown and Otis Redding. In the late 50s, he made his final recordings for Bobby Robinson’s Fire Records and tiny local labels, Carrollton and Chris, before settling down in Atlanta, where he continued to perform and introduce acts as a compère until his death in 1991.
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