Soul singer Betty Wright died today at the age of 66 after being ill with cancer. Chaka Khan had asked for people to pray for Wright on a Twitter post regarding her health on May 2nd. Wright was a Miami native who had her first hit song at age 18 with “Clean Up Woman” in 1971. She continued to have success in the ’70s with the singles “Baby Sitter,” “Let Me Be Your Lovemaker” and “Where Is The Love,” which earned her a Grammy.  In the ’80s she reached a new generation of fans with the hits “No Pain, No Gain” and “After The Pain.” In 1987, she became the first Black woman artist to get a Gold album on her own label for Mother Wit. She released three albums in the ’90s and worked with Gloria Estefan. She received a Grammy nomination for co-producing Joss Stone’s Mind, Body & Soul album in 2005. In 2006, she appeared on the television show Making The Band as a vocal coach for Danity Kane. In 2007, she collaborated with Angie Stone on the single “Baby” from Stone’s The Art Of Love And War album. She was featured on Lil Wayne’s song “Playing With Fire” from Tha Carter III but it was removed because of a lawsuit. It was at this time she also did vocal production work for Jennifer Lopez.  In 2011 her album with The Roots, Betty Wright: The Movie was released. Snoop Dogg, Lenny Williams and Lil Wayne appeared on the album. The song “Surrender” was her last Grammy nomination.  Wright’s work has been sampled by Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige and Chance The Rapper among many others. Betty Wright has long been considered as one of the great soul singers of her era and beyond. 

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Betty Wright started singing professionally at the age of three with her family’s gospel group, the Echoes Of Joy. The Miami native had her first recording contract at the age of twelve and the singles “Thank You Baby” and “Paralyzed” gave her local fame. Wright’s premiere solo album, My First Time Around, came out when she was 14 and “Girls Can’t Do What The Guys Do” was her first Top 40 hit. Her teenaged recording career continued with “Pure Love” and the creation of her national breakthrough song “Clean Up Woman” that earned her a Gold plaque she received on her 18th birthday. Wright’s output in the ’70’s had its most distinct moments with a quick trip into disco, the revelation of a whistle register and her biggest song. “Where Is The Love” and “Shoorah Shoorah” were dance hits, “Baby Sitter” and “Let Me Be Your Lovemaker” introduced her highest human pitch ability and “Tonight Is The Night” was another R&B chart coup. In the ’80’s she collaborated with Stevie Wonder on “What Are You Going To Do With It” and became the first Black woman to get a Gold record for her own record label when “No Pain, No Gain” and “After The Pain” made the Mother Wit album a profitable cultural boom. “U-R-A-Ho (And You Don’t Know)” is from her 2001 album Fit For A King. In 2011 her album with The Roots, Betty Wright: The Movie was released and “Surrender” received a Grammy nomination.

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Betty Wright performs “Keep Love New” at her concert in London at The Jazz Cafe this month.

Betty Wright & The Roots: Grapes On A Vine ft. Lil’ Wayne by S-CurveRecords

Betty Wright: The Movie comes out November 15th. Wright works with Wayne for a second time on this soulful rock track about sour grapes/love.