Betty Wright, a soul and R&B singer greatest recognized for her ’70s hit “Clear Up Girl,” has died. She was 66.
Wright died at her Miami residence on Sunday from most cancers, based on Billboard.
Born Bessie Regina Norris, Wright adopted her stage identify when she was only a child. Along with her siblings, she started singing in a gospel group, referred to as the Echoes of Pleasure, at simply two years outdated. They launched an album in 1956, when she was three.
Wright switched from gospel to R&B at 11 years outdated and commenced singing at native expertise reveals in Miami. She signed to Deep Metropolis Data when she was 12. Her first album, “My First Time Round,” launched when she was 14 and included the Prime 40 hit “Ladies Can’t Do What the Guys Do.”
Wright’s breakthrough got here along with her single “Clear Up Girl” from her second album, “I Love the Means You Love,” launched in 1971. The music reached No. 6 on the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart, bought greater than 1,000,000 copies and got here in because the No. 49 music of 1972, based on Billboard.
Years later, Wright co-wrote the disco-infused observe “The place Is the Love” with Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch from KC & the Sunshine Band. She went on to win a Grammy for greatest R&B music for composing the file.
Within the 2000s, Wright made a resurgence and appeared on the present “Making the Financial institution,” mentoring the younger group Danity Kane. She additionally did vocal manufacturing for different artists, together with Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estefan and Joss Stone. In 2005, she was nominated for greatest pop album on the Grammys for co-producing Stone’s “Thoughts Physique & Soul” album.
Wright and Questlove of the Roots produced “Betty Wright: The Film,” in 2011, her first album in 10 years. The observe “Give up” bought a Grammy nod for greatest conventional R&B efficiency.