O. V. Wright

Biography

Overton Vertis Wright (October 9, 1939 – November 16, 1980) was an American singer who is generally regarded as a blues artist by African-American fans in the Deep South; he is also regarded as one of Southern soul's most authoritative and individual artists. His best known songs include "That's How Strong My Love Is×That's How Strong My Love Is1990 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks1Into Something (Can’t Shake Loose)4:252I Feel Love Growin’3:503Precious Precious3:334The Time We Have2:585You Gotta Have Love3:056Trying To Live My Life Without You2:407Medley: God Blessed Our Love / When a Man Loves a Woman / That’s How Strong My Love is12:508The Bottom Line3:089I Don’t Do Windows2:2010That’s the Way I Feel About Cha’4:2711Your Good Thing is About To End4:5812Let’s Straighten It Out3:5113I Don’t Know Why3:1714No Easy Way to Say Goodbye3:5815A Little More Time5:2116Since You Left (These Arms of Mine)3:4017A Long Road2:3318Rhymes3:2319A Fool Can’t See the Light2:4820I’m Gonna Be a Big Man2:20" (1964), "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" (1965), "Nucleus of Soul×Nucleus of Soul1969 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Blowing in the Wind2:32A2Gonna Forget About You2:14A3I Have None2:14A4You’re So Good to Me2:20A5Why Not Give Me a Chance2:47B1Pledging My Love2:32B2This Hurt Is Real3:22B3I’ll Hate Myself Tomorrow2:31B4I’ll Take Care of You3:14B5I Want Everyone to Know2:46" (1968), "A Nickel and a Nail" (1971), "I Can't Take It" (1971) and "Ace of Spades" (1971).

Biography

Born in Lenow, Tennessee, Wright began singing in the church as a youngster. In 1956, while still in high school, he joined The Sunset Travelers as one of the lead singers of the gospel group. He later fronted a gospel music group, the Harmony Echoes. It was during this time that he was discovered (along with James Carr) by Roosevelt Jamison, a songwriter and manager. Their first pop recording in 1964 was "That's How Strong My Love Is×That's How Strong My Love Is1990 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks1Into Something (Can’t Shake Loose)4:252I Feel Love Growin’3:503Precious Precious3:334The Time We Have2:585You Gotta Have Love3:056Trying To Live My Life Without You2:407Medley: God Blessed Our Love / When a Man Loves a Woman / That’s How Strong My Love is12:508The Bottom Line3:089I Don’t Do Windows2:2010That’s the Way I Feel About Cha’4:2711Your Good Thing is About To End4:5812Let’s Straighten It Out3:5113I Don’t Know Why3:1714No Easy Way to Say Goodbye3:5815A Little More Time5:2116Since You Left (These Arms of Mine)3:4017A Long Road2:3318Rhymes3:2319A Fool Can’t See the Light2:4820I’m Gonna Be a Big Man2:20," a ballad later covered by Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones. It was issued on Goldwax, the label Wright signed to after leaving his gospel career. It was later determined that Don Robey still had him under a recording contract, due to his gospel group having recorded for Peacock. After his contract was shifted to Don Robey's Back Beat label, further R&B hits followed. Working with record producer Willie Mitchell, success continued on songs including "Ace of Spades" and "A Nickel and a Nail".
Wright's hits were much more popular in the deep South. His biggest hits were "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" (R&B No. 6, 1965), "Eight Men, Four Women×Eight Men, Four Women1997 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Eight Men, Four Women3:002Ace of Spades2:153You're Gonna Make Me Cry3:274When You Took Your Love From Me3:055A Nickel and a Nail3:416If It's Only for Tonight2:507Monkey Dog2:208Gone for Good2:429Heartaches, Heartaches2:5610What More Can I Do (To Prove My Love for You)2:59" (R&B No. 4, 1967) "Ace of Spades" (R&B No. 11, 1970), "A Nickel and a Nail" (R&B No. 19, 1971). The remainder of his 17 hits charted no higher than No. 20 on the R&B chart.
Wright was imprisoned for narcotics offenses during the mid-1970s, and, despite a new recording contract with Hi Records that led to a series of new album releases, commercial success did not follow his release from incarceration. Wright continued to battle drug addiction in the last years of his life, and in November 16, 1980, he died from a heart attack in Mobile, Alabama, at the age of 41, while performing at Joe’s Supper Club in Grand Bay, Alabama.
In 2008 the "OV Wright Memorial Fund" purchased and installed a headstone for his previously unmarked grave.

Legacy

Wright is among the most remembered voices of soul music, perhaps mostly for being sampled frequently in hip hop music. In 1996, his song "Motherless Child" was sampled on the Ghostface Killah album Ironman and on the Sunset Park movie soundtrack on a song also called "Motherless Child". That and another Wright recording, "Let's Straighten It Out", have been published on Shaolin Soul, a compilation of tracks that have been sampled by the Wu-Tang Clan and its members. "Let's Straighten It Out" was sampled in a Wu-Tang Clan song called "America" from the charity compilation album America Is Dying Slowly. "Ace of Spades" was sampled by Slim Thug and the Boss Hogg Outlawz on a song named "Recognize A Playa".
Wright has been a big influence on many soul and blues singers, including Robert Cray, Otis Clay, Taj Mahal as well as young soul singer Reggie Sears, among many others.
Johnny Rawls joined Wright's backing band in the mid-1970s, and played together with Wright until the latter's death in 1980. The band then continued billed as the O.V. Wright Band for another 13 years, and toured and performed with other musicians over this time span. These included B. B. King, Little Milton, Bobby Bland, Little Johnny Taylor, and Blues Boy Willie.
He is a 2024 inductee to the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame.

Albums

1965: (If It Is) Only for Tonight (Back Beat Records)
1967: 8 Men and 4 Women (Back Beat Records)
1968: Nucleus of Soul (Back Beat Records)
1972: A Nickel and a Nail -and- Ace of Spades (Back Beat Records)
1973: Memphis Unlimited (Back Beat Records)
1977: Into Something (Can't Shake Loose) (Hi Records)
1978: The Bottom Line (Hi Records)
1979: We're Still Together (Hi Records)
1980: O.V. Wright Live (Hi Records) recorded 1979