Stevie Wright facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stevie Wright
Wright in 1968
Background information
Birth name	Stephen Carlton Wright
Also known as	Chris Langdon Little Stevie
Born	(1947-12-20)20 December 1947 Leeds, England
Origin	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died	27 December 2015(2015-12-27) (aged 68) Moruya, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	Rock and roll pop
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1963–c. 2009
Labels	EMI Parlophone Albert
Associated acts	The Outlaws Chris Langdon & the Langdells The Easybeats Rachette The Stevie Wright Band

Stephen Carlton Wright (born 20 December 1947 – died 27 December 2015) was a famous Australian singer, songwriter, and musician. Many people called him Australia's first international pop star. He is best known as the lead singer of the Easybeats, a band often seen as the greatest Australian pop group of the 1960s.

Stevie Wright was born in Leeds, England. When he was nine, his family moved to Australia. They lived in Melbourne and later in Sydney. In Sydney, they stayed at the Villawood Migrant Hostel. There, he met the people who would become his bandmates in the Easybeats. He and bandmate George Young wrote many of their early hit songs together. These included "She's So Fine", "Wedding Ring", "Sorry", and "Women (Make You Feel Alright)". He was the main singer on their only worldwide hit, "Friday on My Mind". This song reached number one in Australia in 1966. It also made it into the top ten in the United Kingdom and the top twenty in the United States and Canada.

After the Easybeats broke up in 1969, Wright sang with several other groups. These included the Stevie Wright Band and Stevie Wright & the Allstars. His solo career also had a huge hit in 1974 with the song "Evie (Parts 1, 2 & 3)". This song reached number one on the Australian music charts.

Stevie Wright's life story is told in two books. On 14 July 2005, the Easybeats, including Wright, were honored. They were added to the ARIA Hall of Fame, which celebrates great Australian musicians.

Stevie Wright: Australia's Pop Pioneer

Early Music Journey: The Easybeats Years

Stevie Wright was born in Leeds, England, in 1947. His parents were George and Dorothy Wright. When he was nine, his family moved to Melbourne, Australia. In 1960, they moved to Sydney and lived near the Villawood Migrant Hostel. Before the Easybeats, he was the lead singer for a local band called The Outlaws. By 1964, he had formed Chris Langdon & the Langdells. This band first played surf music, like The Shadows. But they soon changed to beat music because they were inspired by The Beatles.

Forming The Easybeats

After a performance with the Langdells, Wright met Johannes Hendrikus Jacob van den Berg. He later became known as Harry Vanda. Harry was staying at the Villawood Migrant Hostel. Wright also met Dingeman van der Sluys, who later became Dick Diamonde. Their first manager, Alan Kissick, helped them meet. Harry and Dick convinced Wright to start a band with Harry's friend, George Young. George was also from the hostel and was Scottish. Along with another English musician, Gordon "Snowy" Fleet, they formed the Easybeats in mid-1964. The first members of the Easybeats were Diamonde on bass guitar, Fleet on drums, Vanda on guitar, Wright on vocals, and Young on guitar.

Easybeats Hits and Fame

During his time with the Easybeats, fans lovingly called Wright "Little Stevie". He and George Young wrote many of the Easybeats' early hits. These included "She's So Fine" (No. 3, 1965), "Wedding Ring" (No. 7, 1965), and "Women (Make You Feel Alright)" (No. 4, 1966). Other big hits were "Come and See Her" (No. 3, 1966) and "Sorry" (No. 1, 1966).

He was the lead singer on their only international hit, "Friday on My Mind". This song reached No. 1 in Australia in 1966. It also hit No. 6 in the UK and made the Top 20 in the US in 1967. In 2001, "Friday on My Mind" was voted the Best Australian Song of All Time. This was decided by the Australasian Performing Right Association. Wright was famous for his exciting stage shows. He would do acrobatic back-flips and cool mod dance moves. The Easybeats broke up in the UK in 1969. Vanda and Young then became independent musicians, songwriters, and producers.

Besides songs for the Easybeats, Wright and George Young also wrote "Step Back". This song was for Johnny Young (no relation) and his band Kompany. It came out in May 1966 and also reached No. 1.

Solo Career and Big Hits

After the Easybeats split up in 1969, Wright came back to Sydney from the UK. He formed a band called Rachette. In 1970, he helped produce the first song for a local band called Bootleg. By late 1971, he was in Perth. He joined a band called Likefun. He soon returned to Sydney. From mid-1972, he played the role of Simon Zealotes in the Australian stage show of Jesus Christ Superstar. In 1972, he also joined a band called Black Tank.

Wright signed with the Albert Productions music label in late 1973. This brought him back together with his old bandmates Vanda and Young. They had returned from the UK and were now working as producers and songwriters. Wright formed Stevie Wright & the Allstars for live shows. This band included Johnny Dick on drums and Tim Gaze on lead guitar. In April 1974, he released his first solo album, Hard Road. This album featured the single "Evie (Parts 1, 2 & 3)", released in May. Vanda & Young wrote and produced the song.

"Evie": A Landmark Song

"Evie" became a huge hit. It was the first 11-minute song to reach No. 1 on any music chart in the world. Today, it is seen as a classic Australian rock song. Part 1 of the song is called "Let Your Hair Hang Down". Part 3 is called "I'm Losing You".

Wright performed three concerts at the Sydney Opera House. He was backed by Vanda, Young, and AC/DC's Malcolm Young (George Young's brother). Another album produced by Vanda & Young, Black-eyed Bruiser, came out in 1975. But it did not make it into the Top 50 charts. By mid-1975, the Allstars band members joined John Paul Young (no relation). Wright then formed the Stevie Wright Band with new musicians.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1982, Wright joined Vanda and Young in their studio band, Flash and the Pan. He sang on their album Headlines and on singles like "Where were You?" and "Waiting for a Train". In the same year, there was talk of the Easybeats getting back together. Wright said in 1983 that they were close to a deal for a show. But the venue tried to change, so they decided not to do it.

In 1983, there was also talk of a new solo album with Vanda and Young. Wright described the album as "classy rock 'n' roll". He said the songs were about his many experiences. He felt his love songs were hopeful. Wright explained how he worked with Vanda and Young in the studio: "Well, it's a three way thing. They'll sit down and say 'we've got this sort of song' and we'll discuss how we'll approach it. Obviously after this long we do have a very strong bond. I've written a couple of songs but since they're far better at it than I am, I'll let them handle that." This album was planned for release that year, but it never happened.

The Easybeats did get back together for a short tour in Australia in 1986. Wright also formed different versions of the Stevie Wright Band from 1986 to 1988.

Honored in Music History

Long Way to the Top was an Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) TV show in 2001. It was a six-part series about the history of Australian rock and roll. "Episode 2: Ten Pound Rocker" showed interviews with Harry Vanda and Johnny Young. Vanda talked about meeting George Young. Johnny Young (no relation) explained how Wright wrote the words for "Step Back". In August 2002, concert promoters organised a tour related to the show. Wright had hurt his ankle, so he performed his song "Evie" while sitting on a stool. His performances at two Sydney concerts in September were recorded. They were shown on ABC-TV and later released on DVD.

On 14 July 2005, the Easybeats, with Wright as a member, were added to the ARIA Hall of Fame. This honor was shared with other great artists like Renée Geyer and Split Enz.

Final Performances and Passing

On 31 January 2009, Wright was the main performer at the Legends of Rock festival in Byron Bay. He sang many of his hits, including "Sorry", "I'll Make You Happy", "Evie (part 2)", and "Friday on My Mind". He was interviewed on a radio program in February. He said 2009 would be an exciting year with new music coming out.

Stevie Wright later retired and lived on the South Coast of New South Wales. He passed away on 27 December 2015 at Moruya Hospital from pneumonia. Wright's funeral was held at St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney on 8 January 2016.

Music Releases

Albums

Studio Albums

Compilation Albums

Singles

Awards and Recognition

Australian Songwriter's Hall of Fame

The Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame started in 2004. It honors the amazing achievements of Australia's greatest songwriters.