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Gary Malcolm Wright (April 26, 1943 – September 4, 2023) was an American musician and composer best known for his 1976 hit songs "Dream Weaver" and "Love Is Alive". Wright's breakthrough album, The Dream Weaver (1975), came after he had spent seven years in London as, alternately, a member of the British blues rock band Spooky Tooth and a solo artist on A&M Records. While in England, he played keyboards on former The Beatles George Harrison's triple album All Things Must Pass (1970), which began a friendship that inspired the Indian religions religious themes and spirituality inherent in Wright's subsequent songwriting. His work from the late 1980s onwards embraced world music and the New-age music genre, although none of his post-1976 releases matched the same level of popularity as The Dream Weaver.
Wright was a child actor and performed on Broadway theatre in the hit musical Fanny, before studying medicine and then psychology in New York and Berlin before establishing himself as a professional musician. After meeting Chris Blackwell of Island Records in Europe, Wright moved to London, where he helped establish Spooky Tooth as a popular live act. He also served as the band's principal songwriter on their recordings – among them, the well-regarded albums Spooky Two (1969) and You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw (1973). His solo album Footprint (1971), recorded with contributions from Harrison, coincided with the formation of Wright's short-lived band Wonderwheel, which included guitarist Mick Jones, later known for his work with Foreigner. Also, during the early 1970s, Wright played on notable recordings by B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, and Ronnie Spector, while his musical association with Harrison endured until shortly before the latter's death in 2001.
Wright turned to film soundtrack work in the early 1980s, including re-recording his most popular song, "Dream Weaver", for the 1992 comedy Wayne's World. Following Spooky Tooth's reunion tour in 2004, Wright performed live frequently, either as a member of Starr's All-Starr Band, with his own live band, or on subsequent Spooky Tooth reunions. Wright's most recent solo albums, including Waiting to Catch the Light (2008) and Connected (2010), have all been issued on his Larklio record label. In 2014, TarcherPerigee published Wright's autobiography, Dream Weaver: Music, Meditation, and My Friendship with George Harrison.
Having studied piano and organ, Wright led various local rock bands while attending Tenafly High School in Tenafly, New Jersey. In 1959, he made his first commercial recording, with Billy Markle at NBC Radio's New York studios. Credited to Gary & Billy, the single "Working After School" was released on 20th Century Fox Records in 1960.
Seeing music as "too unstable" a career choice, as he later put it, Wright studied to become a doctor at the College of William & Mary in Virginia and New York University before attending Downstate Medical College for a year, all the while continuing to perform with local bands. Having specialized in psychology in New York, he then went to West Germany in 1966 to complete his studies at the Free University of Berlin. Within a year, he decided to not continue his schooling.
Blackwell invited Wright to London, where he joined English singer and pianist Mike Harrison and drummer Mike Kellie in their band Art (formerly the VIPs). The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, p. 938. The group soon changed its name to Spooky Tooth, with Wright as joint lead vocalist and Hammond organ player.Leng, pp. 90, 91. While noting the band's lack of significant commercial success over its career, The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll describes Spooky Tooth as "a bastion of Britain's hard-rock scene".
Spooky Tooth's first album was It's All About, released on Island in June 1968. Produced by Miller, it contained the Wright-composed "Sunshine Help Me" and six songs he co-wrote with either Miller, Harrison or Luther Grosvenor, the band's guitarist.Graff & Durchholz, p. 1248. Spooky Two, often considered the band's best work, followed in March 1969, with Miller again producing.Graff & Durchholz, p. 1249. Wright composed or co-composed seven of the album's eight songs, including "That Was Only Yesterday" and "Better By You, Better Than Me". Spooky Two sold well in America but, like It's All About, it failed to place on the UK's top 40 albums chart.
The third Spooky Tooth album was Ceremony, a Wright-instigated collaboration with French electronic music pioneer Pierre Henry, released in December 1969. Songwriting for all the tracks was credited to Henry and Wright, Sleeve and label credits, Celebration LP (US promo). A&M Records, 1970; produced by Spooky Tooth & Pierre Henry. after the latter had passed the band's recordings on to Henry for what The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia terms "processed musique concrète overdubs". The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, pp. 938–39.
Although Wright had traditionally provided an experimental influence within Spooky Tooth, he regretted the change of musical direction, saying in a 1973 interview: "We should have really taken off after Spooky Two but we got into the absurd situation of letting Pierre Henry make the Ceremony album. Then he took it back to France and remixed it."Salewicz, Chris (February 1973). "Spooky Tooth Together Again". Let It Rock. Available at Rock's Backpages ( subscription required). With bass player Greg Ridley having already left the band in 1969 to join Humble Pie, The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, pp. 462, 938. Wright departed in January 1970 to pursue a solo career.
Wright played on all of Harrison's subsequent solo albums during the 1970s,Leng, pp. 125, 153, 182–83, 190, 209. as well as on other releases that the ex-Beatle produced for Apple Records.Wright, p. 109. These included two hit singles by Harrison's former bandmate Ringo Starr over 1971–72, "It Don't Come Easy" and "Back Off Boogaloo", and a 1971 comeback single by ex-The Ronettes Ronnie Spector, "Try Some, Buy Some".Spizer, pp. 255, 294, 297–98.
Among other recordings over this period, Wright played piano on Harry Nilsson's 1972 hit "Without You" and accompanied B.B. King, Starr, Gordon, Voormann and others on B.B. King in London (1971),Randall, Brackett & Hoard, p. 453. which included Wright's composition "Wet Hayshark".Castleman & Podrazik, p. 105. He later participated in London sessions by Jerry Lee Lewis, issued as the double album The Session (1973). Wright also produced an eponymous album by folk rock band Howl the Good, released on the Rare Earth label.
In September 1972, Wright decided to disband Wonderwheel and re-form Spooky Tooth.Rosen, Steven (November 1973). "The Return of Spooky Tooth". Music World. Available at Rock's Backpages ( subscription required). Shortly before doing so, he participated in sessions for Harrison's Living in the Material World (1973),Leng, pp. 124–25. an album that Wright describes as "a beautiful masterpiece" and his favorite Harrison album.Wright, p. 107. Talking to Chris Salewicz of Let It Rock in early 1973, Wright explained his decision to abandon his solo career: "I think my main talent is getting the music together and arranging it. I'm not a showman and so I couldn't be a Cat Stevens out front with just backing musicians, which I was expected to be with Wonderwheel." In his autobiography, however, Wright says that it was his disappointment at A&M's rejection of Ring of Changes that led him to contact Blackwell about re-forming Spooky Tooth.
On their new album, You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw (1973), Wright composed six of the eight tracks, including "Cotton Growing Man", "Wildfire" originally written for Johnny Hallyday as the rock song titled « le feu » and "Self Seeking Man", and co-wrote the remaining two. Label credits, You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw LP. Island Records, 1973; produced by Gary Wright & Spooky Tooth. With the group's standing having been elevated since 1970 – a situation that music journalist Steven Rosen likened at the time to the Yardbirds, the Move and other 1960s bands after their break-up – Spooky Tooth toured extensively to promote the album. Rolling Stone reviewer Jon Tiven praised Wright's songwriting on You Broke My Heart, adding: "there is tremendous consistency to these originals ... and 'Wildfire' is ample proof that Gary could have written for the Temptations if he really wanted to."Tiven, Jon (June 21, 1973). "Spooky Tooth: You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw". Rolling Stone. Available at Rock's Backpages ( subscription required).
The band released a follow-up, Witness, in November 1973, by which point Graham had departed, with Mike Kellie returning on drums. By February 1974, Stewart and Harrison had also left. In January that year, Wright accompanied George Harrison to India,Wright, pp. 120–21, 123. where they journeyed to Varanasi (Benares), the Hinduism spiritual capital of India, and home to Harrison's friend Ravi Shankar.Olivia Harrison, p. 258. The visit would influence the spiritual quality of Wright's lyrics when he returned to his solo career.
In England, he and Harrison worked together on The Place I Love (1974),Leng, pp. 143, 144. the debut album by English duo Splinter.Schaffner, p. 179.Wight, pp. 109, 110. In addition to playing keyboards, Wright served as what author Simon Leng terms "a sounding board and musical amanuensis" on the project,Leng, p. 144. which was the first album released on Harrison's Dark Horse record label.Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 200–01, 205–06, 311. Wright regrouped with Spooky Tooth for a final album, The Mirror (1974), with Mike Patto as their new vocalist. The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, pp. 938, 939. Following further personnel changes, The Mirror was issued by Goodear Records in the UK in October 1974, a month after Wright had disbanded the group.
The album was issued in July 1975 and enjoyed minimal success in America until the release of its second single, "Dream Weaver", in November. The song, which Wright had written on acoustic guitar after his visit to India with Harrison, went on to peak at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Cash Box singles chart. Becoming Wright's biggest hit, "Dream Weaver" sold over 1 million copies in the US and was awarded a Gold disc by the RIAA in March 1976.Murrells, p. 365. The album climbed to number 7 on the Billboard 200 and was certified double Platinum. "Love Is Alive", originally the album's lead single, then hit number 2 on the Hot 100, and "Made to Love You" peaked at number 79. Although neither The Dream Weaver nor its singles charted in the UK, the album was a big seller in West Germany, where, Wright says, Spooky Tooth had been "the number one band" during 1969.
Following the album's release, Wright toured extensively with a band comprising three keyboard players and a drummer. His elder sister Lorna, also a professional singer, joined the tour band as his backing vocalist.Wright, p. 20. Subsidized by synthesizer manufacturers Moog Music and Oberheim, Wright became one of the first musicians to perform with a portable keyboard, in the style of Edgar Winter. Shawn Perry of vintagerock.com credits Wright with being "as responsible for the emergence of the synthesizer as a mainstream instrument as Keith Emerson and ... Rick Wakeman", while Robert Rodriguez describes Wright as a pioneer in both "the integration of synthesizers into " and the use of the keyboard–guitar hybrid known as the keytar.
Among his live performances in 1976, Wright shared the bill with Yes and Peter Frampton at the US Bicentennial concert held at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, playing to a crowd estimated at 120,000.Welch, Chris (June 26, 1976). "Yes, Peter Frampton, Gary Wright: JFK Stadium, Philadelphia". Melody Maker. Available at Rock's Backpages ( subscription required). Wright then supported Frampton on a European tour, by which time a fourth keyboard player had been added to the band.Salewicz, Chris (October 30, 1976). "Peter Frampton: Empire Pool, Wembley, London". NME. Available at Rock's Backpages ( subscription required). Amid this success, A&M issued That Was Only Yesterday (1976) – a compilation containing tracks from Wright's albums for the label and selections by Spooky Tooth – which charted at number 172 in America.
Produced again by Wright, The Light of Smiles featured Wright, Foster, Peter Relich and others on a range of keyboard instruments, including Moog, Oberheim and ARP synthesizers, and drumming contributions from Art Wood and Keltner. Issued by Warner Bros. in January 1977, neither the album nor its lead single, "Phantom Writer", matched the popularity of Wright's earlier releases for the label. On the US Billboard charts, The Light of Smiles climbed to number 23, while "Phantom Writer" peaked at number 43.
Wright's last chart success in America was in 1981, when his album The Right Place, co-produced with Dean Parks, Label credits, The Right Place LP. Warner Bros. Records, 1981; produced by Gary Wright & Dean Parks. climbed to number 79. The single "Really Wanna Know You", which Wright co-wrote with Scottish singer Ali Thomson, peaked at number 16 that year. A second single from the album, "Heartbeat", appeared on Billboards Bubbling Under listings, at number 107.
Among notable cover versions of Wright's songs during this period, Chaka Khan recorded "Love Is Alive" (retitled "My Love Is Alive") for her 1984 album I Feel for You, which became an RIAA-certified million-seller. The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, p. 536. A cover of his Spooky Tooth composition "Better By You, Better Than Me", by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, was at the center of a 1990 court case regarding subliminal messages in song lyrics, after two teenagers had enacted a suicide pact five years before. From 1989 through to the late 1990s, samples of Wright's "Dream Weaver", "Love Is Alive" and "Can't Find the Judge" variously featured in songs by popular rap and hip-hop artists Tone Lōc, Dream Warriors, 3rd Bass and Mýa.
Wright himself re-recorded "Dream Weaver" for the 1992 comedy Wayne's World, the soundtrack album for which topped the US charts. The song has since appeared in the films The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) and Toy Story 3 (2010). He later provided "We Can Fly" for another Bogner film, Ski to the Max, released in IMAX cinemas in October 2000.
Wright's next solo album was First Signs of Life (1995), recorded in Rio de Janeiro and at his own High Wave Studios in Los Angeles,Album booklet, First Signs of Life CD. Triloka/Worldly, 1995; produced by Gary Wright & Franz Pusch. and issued on the Triloka/Worldly record label. The album combined Brazilian rhythms with elements of African vocal tradition, creating what AllMusic's reviewer describes as "an infectious worldbeat hybrid", where "the musicians' performances radiate sincerity and joy". First Signs of Life featured guest appearances from drummer Terry Bozzio, Brazilian guitarist and Harrison. The song "Don't Try to Own Me", co-written with Duane Hitchings, was later included on Rhino Records' Best of Gary Wright: The Dream Weaver – a 1998 compilation spanning his solo career from 1970 onwards, and featuring extensive liner notes by Wright.
Human Love (1999) included new versions of "Wildfire" and "The Wrong Time", as well as "If You Believe in Heaven", a song written with Graham Gouldman that had first appeared on Best of Gary Wright. The album was co-produced by German world-music producer Marlon Klein and released on the High Wave Music label. Contributors to the sessions, held at High Wave and at Exil Musik in Bielefeld, included Hindustani classical vocalist Lakshmi Shankar, Lynne and German composer Roman Bunka.Album booklet, Human Love CD. High Wave Music, 1999; produced by Gary Wright, Marlon Klein, Bernhart Locker & Franz Pusch.
In the summer of 2008, Wright joined Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band for a North American tour, with Edgar Winter also in the lineup. The All-Starr Band's album and DVD Live at the Greek Theatre 2008 (2010) includes Wright's performance of "Dream Weaver". Wright later described the tour as "a lot of fun" and "a big boost" for his career.
In May 2009, Wright rejoined Spooky Tooth to participate in a series of London concerts celebrating the 50th anniversary of Island Records' founding, before performing further shows with the band in Germany. In June the following year, he released the album Connected, which marked a return to his more pop- and rock-oriented sound of the 1970s. Starr, Joe Walsh and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter made guest appearances on the track "Satisfied", which Wright co-wrote with songwriter Bobby Hart. As a posthumous tribute to his friend George Harrison, the Deluxe Digital Edition of Connected included "Never Give Up", which he and Harrison had recorded in 1989, while the iTunes version added "To Discover Yourself", a song that the two musicians had written together in 1971. Wright recorded the latter song on the day of Harrison's death in November 2001. He also contributed to Martin Scorsese's 2011 documentary End credits (disc 2), DVD. Roadshow Entertainment, 2011; produced by Olivia Harrison, Nigel Sinclair & Martin Scorsese; directed by Martin Scorsese. and supplied personal reminiscences and family photographs for Olivia Harrison's book of the same title.Olivia Harrison, pp. 258–59, 398.
In 2010 and 2011, Wright toured again with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. Following a summer 2011 tour of Europe with Starr, Wright participated in the Hippiefest US tour with artists such as Felix Cavaliere, Mark Farner, Dave Mason and Rick Derringer, before returning to Europe for shows with his own band late that year.
Wright spoke out on the importance of creative opportunities for children in the public educational system, and expressed his opposition to the prevalence of free and its disadvantage to artists. In 2008, he voiced his support for Barack Obama's presidential campaign, during which "Dream Weaver" was a song adopted for the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. That year, Wright discussed the message behind "Dream Weaver" with Huffington Post writer and political activist Howie Klein, saying: "With Wayne's World and all that, the perception of the song's meaning got a little bit changed for a lot of people. It's a very spiritual song. 'Dream Weaver' is really a song whose lyrical content is about the consciousness of the Universe: God moving us through the night – delusion and suffering – into the Higher Realms."
In August 2014, Wright announced the imminent publication of his autobiography, Dream Weaver: Music, Meditation, and My Friendship with George Harrison. Coinciding with the book's release, Wright's Warner Bros. albums were reissued for digital download.
| 1971 | "Get on the Right Road" | — | — | — | — | — | Extraction | |
| "Stand for Our Rights" | — | — | — | — | — | Footprint | ||
| 1972 | "Two Faced Man" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976 | "Dream Weaver" | 2 | 14 | — | 24 | 1 | |align=left valign=center rowspan=3 The Dream Weaver | |
| "Love Is Alive" | 2 | — | — | 71 | 6 | |||
| "Made to Love You" | 79 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1977 | "Phantom Writer" | 43 | — | — | — | 72 | The Light of Smiles | |
| "The Light of Smiles" | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Are You Weepin'" | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Touch and Gone" | 73 | — | — | — | — | Touch and Gone | ||
| "Starry Eyed" | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Something Very Special" | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1979 | "I'm the One Who'll Be by Your Side" | — | — | — | — | — | Headin' Home | |
| 1981 | "Really Wanna Know You" | 16 | 32 | — | 49 | 14 | The Right Place | |
| "Heartbeat" | 107 | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Close to You" | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1988 | "Take a Look" | — | — | — | — | — | Who I Am | |
| 1989 | "It Ain't Right" | — | — | — | — | — |
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