Overton Vertis Wright (October 9, 1939 – November 16, 1980) was an American singer who is often seen as a blues artist by African-American fans in the Deep South. He is also considered one of the most respected and unique artists in Southern soul. He is best known for songs such as "That's How Strong My Love Is" (1964), "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" (1965), "Nucleus of Soul" (1968), "A Nickel and a Nail" (1971), "I Can't Take It" (1971), and "Ace of Spades" (1971).

Biography

Born in Lenow, Tennessee, Wright began singing in the church as a young person. In 1956, when he was still in high school, he joined The Sunset Travelers as a lead singer for the gospel group. Later, he led another gospel music group called the Harmony Echoes. During this time, he was discovered (along with James Carr) by Roosevelt Jamison, a songwriter and manager. Their first pop recording in 1964 was "That's How Strong My Love Is," a song later covered by Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones. This song was released on Goldwax, the label Wright signed with after leaving his gospel career. It was later found out that Don Robey still had a contract with Wright because his gospel group had previously recorded for Peacock. After his contract was moved to Don Robey's Back Beat label, more R&B hits followed. Working with record producer Willie Mitchell, he continued to have success with songs like "Ace of Spades" and "A Nickel and a Nail."

Wright's songs were especially popular in the deep South. His most successful songs included "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" (R&B chart No. 6 in 1965), "Eight Men, Four Women" (R&B chart No. 4 in 1967), "Ace of Spades" (R&B chart No. 11 in 1970), and "A Nickel and a Nail" (R&B chart No. 19 in 1971). The rest of his 17 songs did not reach higher than No. 20 on the R&B chart.

Wright was imprisoned for drug-related offenses in the mid-1970s. Although he signed a new recording contract with Hi Records after his release from prison, he did not achieve commercial success with new albums. In his final years, he struggled with drug addiction. On November 16, 1980, he died of a heart attack in Mobile, Alabama, at the age of 41, while performing at Joe’s Supper Club in Grand Bay, Alabama.

In 2008, the "OV Wright Memorial Fund" bought and placed a headstone for his previously unmarked grave.

Legacy

O.V. Wright is one of the most well-known musicians in soul music, partly because his songs are often used in hip-hop music. In 1996, his song "Motherless Child" was used in a song on the Ghostface Killah album Ironman and on the Sunset Park movie soundtrack, which also included a song with the same name. Another song by Wright, "Let's Straighten It Out," was included in a collection called Shaolin Soul, which features music that the Wu-Tang Clan and its members have used in their songs. "Let's Straighten It Out" was used in a Wu-Tang Clan song called "America" from the charity album America Is Dying Slowly. The song "Ace of Spades" was used by Slim Thug and the Boss Hogg Outlawz in a song named "Recognize A Playa."

O.V. Wright influenced many soul and blues singers, including Robert Cray, Otis Clay, Taj Mahal, and young soul singer Reggie Sears, among others.

Johnny Rawls joined Wright's supporting band in the mid-1970s and performed with Wright until Wright's death in 1980. After Wright's death, the band continued to perform as the O.V. Wright Band for 13 more years. During this time, the band worked with other musicians, including B. B. King, Little Milton, Bobby Bland, Little Johnny Taylor, and Blues Boy Willie.

O.V. Wright was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame in 2024.

Discography

• 1965: Titled "If It Is) Only for Tonight," released by Back Beat Records
• 1967: Titled "8 Men and 4 Women," released by Back Beat Records
• 1968: Titled "Nucleus of Soul," released by Back Beat Records
• 1972: Titled "A Nickel and a Nail and Ace of Spades," released by Back Beat Records
• 1973: Titled "Memphis Unlimited," released by Back Beat Records
• 1977: Titled "Into Something (Can't Shake Loose)," released by Hi Records
• 1978: Titled "The Bottom Line," released by Hi Records
• 1979: Titled "We're Still Together," released by Hi Records
• 1980: Titled "O.V. Wright Live," released by Hi Records and recorded in 1979