Betty Wright facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Betty Wright
Wright at the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery, Alabama, 2009
Background information
Birth name	Bessie Regina Norris
Born	(1953-12-21)December 21, 1953 Miami, Florida, U.S.
Died	May 10, 2020(2020-05-10) (aged 66) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul funk gospel disco hip hop new jack swing
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1956–2020
Labels	Atco Alston TK Epic Ms. B
Associated acts	The Echoes of Joy Peter Brown The Roots Angie Stone

Bessie Regina Norris (born December 21, 1953 – died May 10, 2020), known as Betty Wright, was an American soul and R&B singer and songwriter. She also sang background vocals for many artists. Betty started her music career as a teenager in the late 1960s. She became famous in the 1970s with popular songs like "Clean Up Woman" and "Tonight Is the Night". Betty Wright was also known for her amazing ability to sing in a very high voice, called the whistle register.

Biography

Early life and music career

Betty Wright was born Bessie Regina Norris in Miami, Florida, on December 21, 1953. She was the youngest of seven children. Her music journey began very early, at just two years old. Her older brothers and sisters formed a gospel group called the Echoes of Joy. Betty sang with them on their first album, which came out in 1956. She performed with her siblings until she was 11 years old.

After the group stopped performing, Betty decided to try a different style of music: rhythm and blues. She sang in local talent shows in Miami. When she was 12, a record label owner noticed her and signed her to her first record deal. She released songs like "Thank You Baby" and "Paralyzed," which made her well-known in Miami.

In 1967, when she was still a teenager, Betty helped other local singers like George and Gwen McCrae get signed to a record label. Her first album, My First Time Around, was released when she was 14. Her first hit song was "Girls Can't Do What the Guys Do". At 16, while still in high school, she released another song called "Pure Love".

Becoming a star

Wright, 1973

About a year later, Betty Wright released her most famous song, "Clean Up Woman". She was 17 when she recorded it. This song became a huge hit, reaching number two on the R&B music charts and staying there for eight weeks. It also became popular on the pop charts, reaching number six. The song sold over one million copies and was certified gold just after her 18th birthday.

Betty had another hit in 1972 with "Baby Sitter," which she helped write. It reached the top 50 on the pop charts and number six on the R&B charts. In 1973, her song "Let Me Be Your Lovemaker" also did well. This was one of the first times she showed off her powerful whistle register vocals.

Another successful song was "Where Is the Love," which she co-wrote. This song was an early disco style hit. It reached number 15 on the R&B chart and was very popular in dance clubs. It even became a hit in the UK, leading Betty to perform overseas. Betty later won a Grammy Award for writing "Where Is the Love."

Another popular song overseas was "Shoorah! Shoorah!". Both "Shoorah! Shoorah!" and "Where Is the Love" were on her album Danger! High Voltage!. This album also featured her very successful song "Tonight Is the Night". The original version of "Tonight Is the Night" was a hit. Four years later, she released a live version of the song. This new version, which included a famous spoken part, became even more popular in 1978.

In 1977, Betty helped musician Peter Brown and sang background vocals on his hit songs "You Should Do It" and "Dance with Me". In 1978, she sang a duet with rock musician Alice Cooper on the song "No Tricks". A year later, she opened concerts for reggae star Bob Marley on his Survival Tour.

1980s and 1990s music

Betty Wright's albums at the end of the 1970s were not as successful. In 1981, she signed with a bigger record label, Epic Records. Her album Betty Wright included a song written by Stevie Wonder called "What Are You Gonna Do with It". She also sang background vocals on Richard "Dimples" Fields' album Dimples. In 1983, she released the album Wright Back at You.

In 1985, Betty started her own record label called Miss B Records. She released the album Sevens the next year. In 1988, Betty made history. Her 1987 album, Mother Wit, sold enough copies to be certified gold. This made her the first black female artist to have a gold album on her own record label. This album included popular songs like "No Pain, No Gain" and "After the Pain," which brought her back to the top 20 on the R&B chart.

In 1990, she had a hit duet with Grayson Hugh on a remake of the song "How 'Bout Us". She also helped arrange the harmonies for Gloria Estefan's song "Coming Out of the Dark", which became a number one hit in 1991. Betty continued to release her own music in the 1990s. Her 1994 album B-Attitudes featured a new version of Marvin Gaye's "Distant Lover". She then released more of her own recordings and continued to perform live.

2000s and 2010s music

In 2001, a collection of her best songs, The Very Best of Betty Wright, was released. She also released a new studio album called Fit for a King. In 2008, Betty was featured on a song by Lil Wayne called "Playing with Fire".

Betty Wright also worked as a vocal coach and producer. In 2006, she appeared on the TV show Making the Band, where she helped a new female music group. She mentored many young singers and helped produce vocals for artists like Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, and Joss Stone. Betty was nominated for a 2005 Grammy Award for helping produce Joss Stone's album Mind Body & Soul.

She also produced songs for Tom Jones's 2008 album 24 Hours. In 2009, she produced the first album for Diane Birch. In December 2010, Betty received another Grammy Award nomination for her song "Go".

Her album Betty Wright: The Movie, made with the Roots, was released in 2011. This album included collaborations with Joss Stone, Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, and Lenny Williams. A song from the album, "Surrender," was nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award. On New Year's Eve 2011, Betty performed on a UK TV show called Hootenanny. She sang her hits "Clean Up Woman" and "Shoorah! Shoorah!". In 2017, Betty was honored with the National R&B Music Society Unsung Heroine Award. Her last TV appearance was on the show Unsung in April 2020, a month before she passed away.

Personal life and death

Betty Wright was married three times and had five children. She passed away from cancer on May 10, 2020, at her home in Miami. She was 66 years old.

Legacy

Betty Wright Lane in Miami

Many of Betty Wright's songs have been used by other musicians in hip hop, rock, and R&B music. For example, in 2008, Sheek Louch used parts of her songs "Tonight Is The Night" and "Pure Love" in his song "Good Love".

Betty Wright won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song in 1976 for writing "Where Is the Love". She received one award from six nominations during her career.

Discography

Albums

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Singles

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As lead artist

As featured artist

As a studio background vocalist

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See also

In Spanish: Betty Wright para niños