*Good Lord! With the deaths of Little Richard and Andre Farrell, it’s been a rough, rough weekend.
Unfortunately, it just got rougher because we now have to announce the passing of R&B icon Betty Wright.
Wright’s cause of death was not announced when her niece confirmed the passing.
Fans and the media knew something was clearly wrong because a few days ago, Chaka Khan made this plea via Twitter… “Calling all my #PrayWarriors. My beloved sister, Betty Wright @MsBettyWright, is now in need of all your prayers.”
Calling all my #PrayWarriors | My beloved sister, Betty Wright @MsBettyWright, is now in need of all your prays.
“Que Sera, Sera | Whatever Will Be, Will Be”
In Jesus Name We Pray for Sister Betty
All My Love Chaka pic.twitter.com/krQcfWFl5r— ? ????? ???? ? (@ChakaKhan) May 2, 2020
Wright was recently featured on TV One’s “Unsung”:
Here’s more on Betty Wright via her Wikipedia page:
Born in Miami, Florida as Bessie Regina Norris on December 21, 1953, Wright was the youngest of seven children of Rosa Akins Braddy-Wright and her second husband, McArthur Norris. Wright began her professional career at the age of two when her siblings formed the gospel group, the Echoes of Joy. Wright contributed to vocals on the group’s first album, released in 1956. Wright and her siblings performed together until the mid-1960s.
In 1965, following the group’s break-up, 11-year-old Wright, who was already using the name Betty Wright, decided to switch musical styles from gospel to rhythm and blues, singing in local talent shows until being spotted by a local Miami record label owner, who signed her to her first label (Deep City Records) in 1966 at twelve. She released the singles, “Thank You Baby” and “Paralyzed”, which found Wright local fame in Miami.[citation needed]
In 1967, the teen was responsible for discovering other local talents such as George and Gwen McCrae, helping them sign with the Alston Records label, part of Henry Stone’s TK recording and distribution company. My First Time Around, her first album, was released when she was still 14. Her first hit single was “Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do”. While still in high school in 1970, Wright released “Pure Love” at the age of sixteen.[citation needed]
Breakthrough
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About a year later, Wright released her signature song, “Clean Up Woman,” written by Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke when she was 17. The record reached number two on the R&B charts, where it stayed for eight weeks. It crossed over to the pop charts, peaking at number six and staying on the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks. It eventually sold over a million copies and was certified gold on December 30, 1971, nine days after the singer turned 18.
Get MORE info at Wikipedia.
Please enjoy our tribute to the late, great Betty Wright …
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