O.V. Wright

Known for his fiery approach to deep soul, O. V. Wright fused his melismatic vocal style with the celebrated Hi Rhythm Section assembled by Willie Mitchell, yielding quintessential Memphis soul in the opening years of the 1970s. Overton Vertis Wright first honed his craft singing gospel alongside the Sunset Travelers, then shifted to secular material in 1964 by cutting the impassioned ballad “That’s How Strong My Love Is” for Memphis’s Goldwax label. Otis Redding’s subsequent cover effectively eliminated any prospect of chart success for Wright’s original reading. Already bound by a gospel contract to Houston’s Peacock Records, Wright was compelled by owner Don Robey to return to that roster; thereafter he recorded for Robey’s Backbeat imprint. His sanctified delivery drenched the harrowing 1965 hit “You’re Gonna Make Me Cry” in pure sweet soul, yet only Memphis producer Willie Mitchell consistently extracted Wright’s finest performances. By harnessing Mitchell’s propulsive studio rhythm section, Wright’s early-1970s Backbeat releases “Ace of Spades,” “A Nickel and a Nail,” and “I Can’t Take It” stand among the era’s strongest examples of Southern soul. Refusing any move toward disco, O. V. Wright continued to bare his emotions throughout the decade, persuading listeners with “I’d Rather Be (Blind, Crippled & Crazy)” and “Into Something (Can’t Shake Loose).” Reports have long attributed his decline to drug use; the revered soul artist died in 1980 at the age of 41.