Gary Wright, singer-songwriter and George Harrison collaborator, dead at 80
Gary Wright, the singer-songwriter behind songs such as ‘Dream Weaver’ and ‘Love Is Alive’, and longtime friend of George Harrison, passed away aged 80.
The news of Wright’s death was confirmed by his son Justin, who revealed that the cause was Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. Wright was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s “around six or seven years ago” before later being diagnosed with dementia.
“He managed it fairly well for a while,” Justin said. “But a few years ago, he needed professional help and home-care nurses and eventually 24-hour care.”
Gary Wright was best known for ‘Dream Weaver’ and ‘Love Is Alive’, two hits taken from his 1975 album, The Dream Weaver. He also co-founded the British band Spooky Tooth, produced for Traffic and The Rolling Stones, and played keys on former Beatle George Harrison’s seminal 1970 album, All Things Must Pass.
Gary Wright was born on April 26th, 1943, in Cresskill, New Jersey. After studying to become a doctor in Berlin, he moved to England and featured in the band Spooky Tooth in late 1960. While in the UK, he also began his career as a solo artist.
Wright released his first two solo albums, Extraction and Footprint, and then signed with Warner Bros Records. Through the major label, Wright released his hit album, The Dream Weaver, a record noted for its pioneering use of the synthesiser.
The album was a tremendous success thanks to the single of the same name, which Wright penned after visiting his friend George Harrison in India. “They became fast friends. It was George who introduced my father to his spiritual path,” Justin told Rolling Stone, adding that the pair travelled to India together on multiple occasions.
Wright first met Harrison through the Manfred Mann bassist Klaus Voormann, who invited him to play the keys on All Things Must Pass. Their shared interest in music and Indian religion saw Wright and the former Beatle establish a long friendship, with him contributing to all of the English musician’s solo albums in the 1970s.
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