Remembering Gary Wright
• We’ve lost another legend — musician Gary Wright, best known for his 1976 hits “Dream Weaver,” and “Love Is Alive,” has died at the age of 80.
Gary’s son Justin Wright told TMZ that his father died Monday morning, Sept.4 at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, CA. He said his father had been battling Parkinson’s disease for five to six years, and more recently had developed Lewy body dementia. Justin added that Gary’s Parkinson’s symptoms had gotten considerably worse in the past year, leaving him without the ability to speak or move much.
Wright’s first big brush with musical fame happened in the late ’60s after meeting Island Records’ founder Chris Blackwell, who invited him to London, where he joined English singer and pianist Mike Harrison and drummer Mike Kellie in a band that later changed its name to Spooky Tooth. Wright stayed with the band for three albums before leaving in early 1970 to pursue a solo career.
In addition to his solo success, Wright also notably contributed keyboards to George Harrison‘s landmark solo album, All Things Must Pass, as well as the rest of Harrison’s solo projects. He also played on Ringo Starr‘s solo hits, “It Don’t Come Easy” and “Back Off, Boogaloo,” and in recent years had toured off and on with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band.
Wright’s highest-charting songs, “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive” both peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. “Love Is Alive” spent 27 weeks on the chart, seven weeks longer than “Dream Weaver.” Billboard ranked “Love Is Alive” as the No. 9 song of 1976.
Wright is survived by his second wife, Rose, sons Dorian and Justin, and a sister, Lorna.
