Betty Wright was a soul and R&B singer known for songs including “Clean Up Woman,” “Tonight Is the Night,” and “Where Is the Love.”
- Died: May 10, 2020 (Who else died on May 10?)
- Details of death: Died at home in Miami of cancer at the age of 66.
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Singer and mentor
Wright released her first album when she was just 14, and by the time she was 17, she had a hit with 1971’s “Clean Up Woman.” The song rose to the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and a No. 2 smash hit on the R&B chart. Wright followed its success with singles including proto-disco tracks “Shoorah! Shoorah!” (1974) and “Where Is the Love” (1975), winning a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for the latter. She had later R&B hits with “Tonight Is the Night” (1987), What Are You Gonna Do With It?” (1981), and “No Pain, No Gain” (1988). Known for her ability to sing in the whistle register, Wright wrote catchy hooks that were widely sampled.
Wright founded the record label Ms. B Records in the 1980s, and she worked as a producer for artists including Joss Stone. She arranged the harmonies for Gloria Estefan’s No. 1 hit “Coming Out of the Dark.” In 2006, she was a vocal coach on the Sean “P. Diddy” Combs show “Making the Band,” serving as a mentor to younger musicians. She sang backing vocals for artists including Stevie Wonder and Jennifer Lopez.
Wright on the music she loved and her singing style
“If you came to a BBQ at my house you would hear live music. Because at my house, there’s always a concert. Somebody would pick up a guitar. And after a while, somebody would pick up a drum. So you would hear a multiplicity of genres. I don’t have a preference. Just every time I start singing, they say it’s R&B just because I have a soulful tone in my voice. I can sing opera.” —from a 2012 interview with Miami New Times
What people said about her
Full obituary: Miami Herald
