Charles Wright (musician)

Last updated
Charles Wright
Charles Wright, April 2016.jpg
Charles Wright in 2016
Background information
Birth nameCharles Williams Wright
Born (1940-04-06) April 6, 1940 (age 84)
Clarksdale, Mississippi, United States
Genres Doo wop, R&B, funk
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Piano, guitar
Years active1950s–present
Labels ABC, Capitol, Dunhill, Philips, Warner Bros.

Charles Williams Wright (born April 6, 1940) is an American singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. He has been a member of various doo wop groups in the late 1950s and early 1960s as well as a solo artist in his own right. He is also the former leader and writer of hits for the group, Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band.

Contents

Background

Wright was born on April 6, 1940, in Clarksdale, Mississippi, United States. [1] The seventh of twelve children, he was raised on a cotton plantation. Years later, he would refer the sharecropping era as "The next shade after slavery". According to the book Up from Where We've Come , the sharecropper that owned that plantation was a cruel man by the name of Edward Miles. When Wright was 12, the family moved to Los Angeles. Contrary to his father's rule of not allowing his children to listen to secular music, he began listening to popular music and became mesmerized by it. Jesse Belvin was a singer that he heard on the radio was to have a significant influence on the young Wright and who became his mentor. After hearing Belvin on the radio, he looked up his number in the phone book and contacted him. He was told by Belvin to stop copying his sound and find his own. Later, Belvin took Wright under his wing and helped him get started. This association lasted until 1960, but stopped because Belvin died in a car crash at the age of 27. The following year, Wright had his first hit record. [2]

Wright is best known for his role as band leader of the group Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, which had the 1971 hit, "Express Yourself". [3] [4] He has been associated with Johnny Guitar Watson, touring with him and playing on early recordings by him. [5] [6] He also added his vocals to an album by The Watsonian Institute. [7] For a very brief period, Wright managed singer Bill Withers. [8] [9]

He is also the author of the book Up from Where We've Come . [10] [11]

Career

1950s to 1960s

Early in his career, he was a member of The Shields, an LA based doo wop group that recorded in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Johnny Guitar Watson and Jesse Belvin had also been members of the group. Wright took the lead when he replaced lead singer Frankie Erivin. [12] According to Tony Hilder, Wright and Belvin sang on the recorded version of the Shield's release "You Cheated". The song bw "That's the Way it's Gonna Be" was released on Tender 513 in 1958. [13] [14] Also that year, a record that Write helped compose with Fred Lowery and Fred Stryker, "No Other Love" was recorded by The Blossoms and released on Capitol F4072. [15] [16]

Wright and Belvin became involved with A&R man Hilder who had worked for the Kent/Modern organization. [13] [14] With the assistance of Hilder, Wright penned "You're Unforgettable". [17] It was recorded by Billy Watkins. Released in 1959 on the Challenge label, it was backed with "Rendezvous", a Robert Hafner composition. It was given a B+ rating by The Cash Box in its October 17 issue. [18] [19] It was also a prediction to do well by Billboard that month, and it was already charting locally that year. [20] [21] In early 1960, Hilder had come to San Luis Obispo to find a backing band to back Wright and Watkins on a tour. Norman Knowles of The Revels offered up his band to back them but Hilder didn't take up his offer. [22]

Around 1962, a single "Latinia" bw "Runky" was released on Titanic 5003. According to Robert Dalley's book, Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands of the Sixties, the backing band was Bob Vaught's band, The Renegaids. [23] [24] The A side was written by Thomas Nuñes and Mark Hilder while the B side was written by Wright along with B. Adkins and B. Morgan. [25] [26]

By early 1966, and now recording as Charlie Wright, he had a single out on the Capitol label. Along with singles by The Mar-Keys and Percy Mayfield, Wright's single, "Help Yourself" was predicted to reach the R&B Singles chart. [27]

In 1969, Capitol released "I Don't Have To Dream" bw "She Taught Me What Love" by Bobby Sheen. Wright wrote the A side song Wright and the B side he co-wrote with Sheen. [28] Wright also had played guitar in one of the bands Sheen was in. [29]

1970s to present

By late August 1970, Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band had entered the Billboard Soul Chart with "Express Yourself". [30] It would eventually peak at No. 3 on the rhythm and blues chart and No. 12 on pop chart. [31] This was one of about eight charting hits that he wrote for the band. [32]

Discography

Singles
ActTitleRelease infoYearNotes
Charlie Wright"Help Yourself" / "Number One" Capitol 55761966
Charles Wright"(I'm Living On) Borrowed Time" / "Keep Saying (You Don't Love Nobody)" Philips 404111966
Charles Wright"Soul Train" / "Run Jody Run" Warner Bros. WB 76001972
Charles Wright"You Gotta Know Whatcha Doin'" / "Here Comes the Sun"Warner Bros. WB 76301972
Charles Wright"(Well I'm) Doin' What Cums Naturally" Part 1 / "(Well I'm) Doin' What Cums Naturally" Part 2 ABC/Dunhill D-43641973
Charles Wright"you Threw It All Away" / "The Weight Of Hate"ABC/Dunhill D-43811973
Charles Wright"Is It Real?" / "Don't Rush Tomorrow"ABC/Dunhill D-150271975
Charles Wright"You Gotta Know Whatcha Doin" / "Here Comes The Sun" Rhino R7 74167T [33]
Albums
ActTitleRelease infoYearNotes
Charles WrightRhythm And Poetry Warner Bros. BS 26201972LP
Charles WrightDoing What Comes Naturally ABC/Dunhill DSD-501621973LP
Charles WrightNinety Day Cycle PeopleABC/Dunhill DSD-501871974LP
Charles WrightA Lil' Encouragement ABC 8022-86719758-Track
Charles Wright of The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm BandGoing To The PartyMemories Records 2001-2LP1997CD
Charles WrightMusic For The Times We Live InM$WM Records 2002-2LP2002CD
Charles Wright of The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm BandHigh Maintenance Woman'A Million Dollars Worth of Memories Records 2003-LP2004CD
Charles WrightFinally Got It...WrightA Million Dollars Worth of Memories Records M$WM 2003-2-7-LP2006CD
Charles Wright of The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band with The Gallahads My Love Affair With Doo-WopA Million Dollars Worth of Memories Records 758794-20042004CD [34]

Other

Publications
TitleCredited authorPublisherYearISBNNotes
Up: From where We've Come Charles WrightMillion $ Worth of Memories Records20161521116849 [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doo-wop</span> Style of rhythm and blues music

Doo-wop is a subgenre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Detroit, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. It features vocal group harmony that carries an engaging melodic line to a simple beat with little or no instrumentation. Lyrics are simple, usually about love, sung by a lead vocal over background vocals, and often featuring, in the bridge, a melodramatically heartfelt recitative addressed to the beloved. Harmonic singing of nonsense syllables is a common characteristic of these songs. Gaining popularity in the 1950s, doo-wop was "artistically and commercially viable" until the early 1960s and continued to influence performers in other genres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band</span> American soul and funk band

Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band is an American soul and funk band. Formed in the early 1960s, they had the most visibility from 1967 to 1973 when the band had 9 singles reach Billboard's pop and/or rhythm and blues charts, such as "Do Your Thing", "Till You Get Enough", and "Love Land". They are best known for their biggest hit on Warner Bros. Records, 1970's "Express Yourself", a song that has been sampled by rap group N.W.A and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesse Belvin</span> American singer, pianist and songwriter (1932–1960)

Jesse Lorenzo Belvin was an American singer, pianist and songwriter popular in the 1950s. Belvin co-wrote the 1954 Penguins' doo-wop classic "Earth Angel", which sold more than 10 million copies, while his top recording was the 1956 single "Goodnight My Love", a song that reached No. 7 on Billboard's R&B chart.

The Revels were an American rock band from California, associated with the 1960s surf music craze. They had hits with "Six Pak", and "Church Key" which was their most famous single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Express Yourself (Labrinth song)</span> 2012 single by Labrinth

"Express Yourself" is a song by English musician Labrinth. Written by Labrinth and Charles Wright, it was released as the fourth single from his debut studio album, Electronic Earth on 7 May 2012. It interpolates "Express Yourself" by Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, which was the same song sampled by N.W.A. in their 1988 song of the same name, and the famous drum break from James Brown's "Funky Drummer".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Express Yourself (Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band song)</span> 1970 single by Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band

"Express Yourself" was written by Charles Wright and performed by Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. It became their signature song after its release in 1970 on their album, Express Yourself. The song was produced by Wright.

Anthony J. Hilder was an American author, film maker, talk show host, broadcaster, news correspondent and former actor. In the late 1950s to the mid-1960s he was also a record producer, producing music mainly in the surf genre. He headed a couple of record labels as well as working for various others. He was also a publisher.

Impact Records was a California based record label run by CT Records creator, Tony Hilder in the 1960s. This label released some surf records by The Crestwoods, Dave Myers and The Surftones, The Ramblers and The New Breed and The Revels. The Revels were known for the hits "Comanche" and "Intoxica".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church Key</span>

"Church Key" is an instrumental single that was released by California surf group The Revels on Tony Hilder's Impact Records label in 1960. It was a hit for the group and later a hit for Dave Myers and his Surf-Tones.

The Charades is a doo-wop, r&b group which was mostly active in California in the early to mid-1960s and has released a number of singles on various labels. One of the songs it recorded, which was associated with the surf genre, was "Surf 'n Stomp" on the Northridge label. The band also recorded for Tony Hilder's Impact label, and even had a release on a label owned by Fred Astaire. They had a minor hit with "Please Be My Love Tonight". The group, though it has been through some changes, still continues today, and has a history that spans six decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bacchus Archives</span>

Bacchus Archives is a record label that has often released previous unreleased recordings. Some of the recordings it has released, includes recordings by artists such as The Controllers, Evan "Funk" Davies, The Dils, Peter Miller and Bob Thompson. It is also sublabel of Dionysus Records.

George McCurn was an American bass singer who started off singing gospel and switched to pop in the 1960s. He had a hit in 1963 with "I'm Just a Country Boy".

"Your Love (Means Everything to Me)" is a song written by Charles Wright and performed by Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. It reached #9 on the R&B chart and #73 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971. The song was featured on their 1971 album, You're So Beautiful.

The Viscaynes were an American doo-wop group from Vallejo, California, United States, that released a few singles in the early 1960s. They also had a regional hit with the song "Yellow Moon". One of their members Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone would front the multi-racial group Sly & the Family Stone. They were unique in being one of the very few integrated doo-wop groups of their time.

The Hollywood Saxons were a Los Angeles R&B group who recorded under various other names. They were well known on the LA R&B circuit. Their recording history ran from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. Their discography is complex due to the various names they recorded under and labels they recorded on.

The Capris were a 1950s doo-wop group from Philadelphia who started out in their teens. They consisted of four males and a female. They recorded singles for the Gotham Records label. The song that they are most known for is "God Only Knows".

I'm Walking Out On You was an R&B Top 30 hit for Philadelphia singer Ruben Wright. It was released on the Capitol label in 1966. Wright was formerly a member of the doo wop group The Capris.

"God Only Knows" was a regional hit for Philadelphia Doo wop group The Capris. It was their debut single for the group and was written by Ruben Wright. The song also had a dramatic effect on Motown singer Marvin Gaye. It has been covered by other artists as well.

"It's Unbelievable" was a hit for Philadelphia doo wop group The Larks in 1961. It became very popular in Philly as well as become a hit in the pop charts.

Melvin Carl Dunlap was an American bass guitarist most recognized for his work with Bill Withers and Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm band. Additionally, Dunlap was an accomplished session musician, producer, and composer.

References

  1. The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul, Colin Larkin - Page 354
  2. The Philadelphia Tribune , May 5, 2017 - Charles Wright is still expressing himself - Bobbi Booker
  3. "Charles Wright The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band : Express Yourself". Discogs.com.
  4. "Charles Wright And The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - Express Yourself / Living On Borrowed Time - Warner Bros. - USA - 7417". 45cat.com.
  5. The Gangster of Love: Johnny "Guitar" Watson: Performer, Preacher, Pimp, By Vincent Bakker - Page 360
  6. The Gangster of Love: Johnny "Guitar" Watson: Performer, Preacher, Pimp, By Vincent Bakker - Page 449 Literature & References
  7. "Watsonian Institute Master Funk". Discogs.com.
  8. The Great Drummers R&B Funk & Soul, By Jim Payne - Page 127 About Bill Withers:
  9. KCET, August 15, 2012 - ARTBOUND, MUSIC, In the Pocket with James Gadson: An Essential Mixtape - Oliver Wang
  10. Bobbi Booker (May 5, 2017). "Charles Wright is still expressing himself". The Philadelphia Tribune .
  11. "Up: From Where We've Come". Goodreads.com.
  12. Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups, By Mitch Rosalsky - Page 515 Shields (Los Angeles)
  13. 1 2 Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups, By Mitch Rosalsky - Page 515 Shields (Los Angeles)
  14. 1 2 Who Put the Bomp , No.14, Fall 1975 - Page 12 The Tony Hilder Story, By BILL BLAIR & JOHN SMART
  15. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series - Page 1491 Current Registrations 1958
  16. American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to Today, By Jay Warner - Page 80 The Blossoms
  17. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series, Volume 14, Part 5, Number 1, Music January - June, 1960 - Page 139, 1960, Current Registrations
  18. 45Cat - Billy Watkins - Discography, USA, You're Unforgettable (After You've Been Kissed)
  19. The Cash Box , October 17, 1959 - Page 14 The Cash Box Best Bets
  20. Billboard, October 5, 1959 - Page 37 SPECIAL MERIT SPOTLIGHTS
  21. First Pressings: 1959, Galen Gart - Page 148
  22. Intoxica!, The Best Of The Revels - Sundazed Music SC 11020 CD booklet, Page 7 It's Party Time, Norman Knowles and The Revels
  23. Alyzemusic.com - Charles Wright And The Malibus - Latinia / Runky
  24. Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands of the Sixties, By Robert J. Dalley - Page 230
  25. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series - Page 270 LATINIA
  26. 45Cat - Charles Wright And The Malibus - Discography
  27. Billboard, February 5, 1966 - Page 16 SPOTLIGHT SINGLES, R&B SPOTLIGHTS, CHART
  28. 45Cat - Bobby Sheen - Discography, USA
  29. Barley Bros Records, June 12, 2010 - Bobby Sheen, The Bobby Sheen Anthology
  30. Billboard , August 29, 1970 - Pahe 29 Soul, Billboard BEST SELLING Soul Singles
  31. Broadway World , Mar. 26, 2017 - Broadway in Leimert Park Opens with 'Express Yourself' Singer Charles Wright
  32. Music VF.com - Songs written by Charles Wright, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography
  33. 45Cat - Charles Wright - Discography, USA
  34. Discogs - Charles Wright, Discography, Albums
  35. Up: From Where We've Come, Charles Wright - Bibliographic information