Billy Wright (musician)

Billy Wright
Also known as	Prince of the Blues
Born	(1932-05-21)May 21, 1932
Origin	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Died
Genres	Soul blues, jump blues, R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Fiddle, piano, vocals
Years active	Late 1940s–1980s
Labels	Savoy Records, Peacock Records
Associated acts	Little Richard

Billy Wright (May 21, 1932 – October 28, 1991) was an American jump blues singer. Wright is considered one of Little Richard's primary influences.

Biography

Billy Wright was born in Atlanta, Georgia. As a child, Wright excelled in at singing gospel music in his local church, but developed as a blues musician when he began performing in Atlanta's 81 Theater. Saxist Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams caught Wright's act when the two shared a bill with Charles Brown and Wynonie Harris, and recommended him to record producer Herman Lubinsky of Savoy Records. Throughout his career, he was known as the "Prince of the Blues." He was a key figure in Atlanta blues after World War II and had a major influence on rock and roll pioneer Little Richard, whom he helped get his first recording contract.

He recorded his last recordings in 1959. He continued to do shows around Atlanta until he suffered a stroke, and then died of a pulmonary embolism, just before his 1991 Halloween Show at the Royal Peacock in Atlanta.

Discography

Singles

• "Blues For My Baby" / "You Satisfy" (Savoy #710) (11/1949)
• "Man’s Brand Boogie" / "Beg-A-Dog" (Atlanta #6000) (1950)
• "I Keep Drinkin'" / "Billy’s Boogie Blues" (Savoy #715) (1950)
• "Back Biting Woman" / "Thinkin' Blues" (Savoy #733) (1950)
• "After Dark Blues" / "Heavy Hearted Blues" (Savoy #741) (1951)
• "'Fore Day Blues" / "Empty Hands" (Savoy #761) (1951)
• "Mean Old Wine" / "Keep Your Hands On Your Heart" (Savoy #776) (11/1951)
• "Stacked Deck" / "Mercy Mercy" (Savoy #781) (1951)
• "Hey Little Girl" / "Gotta Find My Baby" (Savoy #810) (1951)
• "New Kind Of Lovin'" / "When The Wagon Comes" (Savoy #819) (1952)
• "Turn Your Lamps Down Low" / "Drinkin' And Thinkin'" (Savoy #827) (1952)
• "Married Woman’s Boogie" / "Every Evening" (Savoy #837) (1952)
• "If I Didn’t Love You" / "Goin' Down Slow" (Savoy #870) (12/1952)
• "After Awhile" / "Four Cold Cold Walls" (Savoy #1100) (5/1953)
• "Live The Life" / "I Remember" (Savoy #1127) (4/1954)
• "Bad Luck, Heartaches, And Trouble" / "The Question" (Peacock #1657) (7/1955)
• "Have Mercy Baby" / "I Love You Sweetheart" (Carrollton #801) (1959)

Other recordings

• "Walking the Blues" (Savoy) (unreleased) (9/23/1949)
• "Ride on Little Girl" (Savoy) (unreleased) (1/7/1950)
• "Misfortune Blues" (Savoy) (unreleased) (4/24/1950)
• "Restless Blues" (Savoy) (unreleased) (1951) (appears on Savoy LP-1146)
• "This Love of Mine" (Savoy) (unreleased) (1951) (appears on Savoy LP-1146)
• "If I Had My Life to Live Over" (Savoy) (unreleased) (1952) (appears on Savoy LP-1146)
• "Sad Hour Blues" (Savoy) (unreleased) (1952) (appears on Savoy LP-1146)
• "Do Something for Me" (1952) (live at Harlem Theater, Atlanta, Georgia) (appears on Stacked Deck album)
• "Keep Your Hand on Your Heart and Your Mind on Me" (Savoy) (1953) (appears on Savoy LP-2255)
• "Will You Need Me" (Savoy) (unreleased) (1954) (appears on Savoy LP-1146)
• "Baby Don't You Want a Man Like Me" (Peacock) (unreleased) (1955)
• "Let's Be Friends" (Peacock) (unreleased) (1955)
• Titles Unknown (Fury/Fire) (1959) (unreleased)

Albums

• Stacked Deck (Route 66) (1980)
• Goin Down Slow (Savoy #LP-1146) (1984)
• Various Artists: Southern Blues: Roots Of Rock And Roll Volume 11 (Savoy #LP-2255) (1985)
• Billy Wright/Little Richard: Baby Don’t You Want A Man Like Me (Ace #193) (1987)
• Billy Wright (Savoy Jazz) (1994)
• Classics 1949-1951 (Melodie Jazz Classics) (2003)
• Billy Wright (Savoy Jazz) (1994)
• Have Mercy Baby (Blue City #BCCD-810) (includes his Peacock, Carrollton, and Atlanta recordings)

External links

• Allmusic on Billy Wright