Betty Wright is an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter and background vocalist from Miami, Florida. Born Bessie Regina Norris, she begins singing gospel with her family group, the Echoes of Joy, before moving into R&B in 1965.

Early career and breakthrough

Wright releases her first album, My First Time Around, in 1968, when she is 15. It includes her first hit, “Girls Can’t Do What Guys Can Do”. She rises to wider fame in the 1970s with songs such as “Clean Up Woman” and “Tonight Is the Night”.

“Clean Up Woman” becomes a Top 5 pop and R&B hit and is later sampled or referenced in records by Mary J. Blige, SWV and Afrika Bambaataa. Wright is also known for her use of whistle register, the highest human singing register, and for a five-octave vocal range.

1970s success and songwriting

In 1974, Wright scores major hits with “Tonight Is the Night” and “Where Is the Love”. The latter wins her a Grammy for Best R&B Song. “Tonight Is the Night” is based on a real-life teenage relationship from her own life.

Independent work and later releases

After a brief decline in the early 1980s, Wright founds her own label, Ms. B Records. In 1988, she becomes the first woman to earn a gold record on her own label with Mother Wit, which includes “No Pain (No Gain)” and “After the Pain”. In 1989 she releases 4u2njoy, featuring “From Pain to Joy”, “Quiet Storm” and “Keep Love New”. Later albums include Passion, Compassion, B-Attitudes and Fit For a King. A compilation, The Very Best of Betty Wright, appears in 2001.

Collaborations and influence

Wright mentors younger singers and works in vocal production for Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez and Joss Stone. Her influence extends to female singer-songwriters and to hip hop artists who sample her recordings. In 2007, she has a successful duet with Angie Stone, “Baby”, which reaches number 22 on the R&B chart and number 2 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart.

Later recognition

In December 2010, Wright receives a Grammy nomination for “Go” in the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance category. In 2011, she releases Betty Wright: The Movie as Betty Wright & The Roots.

Wright is associated with the label Danbet Publishing, Inc. She is born in 1953 and dies in 2020 in Miami, United States.