Musician Gary Wright, who’s single “Dream Weaver” hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975, has dies of complications from Parkinson’s Disease and dementia, his family confirmed.
Wright passed with his family around him on Sept. 4 at his California home in Palos Verdes Estates. He was 80 years old.
Justin Wright, Gary’s son, said that the composer and singer’s condition had advanced to the point where he was no longer able to care for himself before his passing, according to TMZ.
Wright is most known for his 1976 hits “Dream Weaver” and “Love is Alive.” He also scored a hot with his 1979 tune, “Really Wanna Know You,” which top out at no. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. His “Dream Weaver” was certified as a U.S. Gold record in 1976.
But Wright was also an in-demand studio musician and participated on ex-Beatle George Harrison’s famed 1970 album “All Things Must Pass” along with all Harrison’s subsequent solo albums through the 1970s. Wright became so close to Harrison that he had described former Beatle as his “spiritual mentor.”
“I always had a feeling that God existed and was helping me. It wasn’t really defined clearly but I knew there was something there and it wasn’t until I met George Harrison that I started to really begin to delve deeply into spiritual life,” Wright said in a 2014 interview.
Wright also played for Ringo Starr and Ronnie Spector during that period, he later wrote three movie soundtracks, and is also known as one of the first musicians to introduce the synthesizer in pop music.
His tune “Love Is Alive” was covered by artists including Olivia Newton-John, Chaka Khan, Joe Cocker and more. And his work was sampled by others from Jay-Z to Tone-Loc
Elizabeth Freund, a rep for Wright, told People magazine that she first met the singer when he was with Ringo Starr’s All Starr Ban and said he was a “phenomenal musician.”
“Very kind and very spiritual. I was always struck by his deep and enduring love for his darling wife Rose who I’m thinking of now. Your Love Is Alive – now and always Gary,” Freund added. “Thanks for the music Dream Weaver. Sending his family peace and love.”
Wright was memorialized by many in the music business.
It is with great sadness that I received the news of my dear friend Gary Wright’s passing. The attached photos hold precious memories from the very first and last time we shared the stage together, alongside our mutual musical pal John Ford Coley. Gary’s vibrant personality and… pic.twitter.com/r7bwnIhKME
— Stephen Bishop (@BishSongs) September 4, 2023
Sad to hear that Gary Wright has died – worth sharing this clip of him having a great time with his dear pal George Harrison recording ‘Don’t Try to Own Me’ in 1992. pic.twitter.com/ZnvqfrU980
— Beatles Books Podcast (@BooksBeatles) September 4, 2023
While looking for something else, I just found that I asked #GaryWright for his autograph when I met him. So glad that I was fan-boy that day. #RIPGaryWright pic.twitter.com/kd2Q9xvHG6
— David Wild (@Wildaboutmusic) September 5, 2023
Wright’s passing came on the tail of two other top musicians of their era. On Sept. 2, “Margaritaville” singer Jimmy Buffett died at 76 and on the same day Wright passed, Steve Harwell, the lead singer of 1990s band Smash Mouth, died of cancer.
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