‘Dream Weaver’ singer Gary Wright dies at 80

Singer-songwriter Gary Wright passed away on Monday, September 4, at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California. His son Justin Wright told TMZ that the musician was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia five or six years ago. The artist was 80 years old and his health deteriorated rapidly in the last year.

The musician’s son told that his father had already lost the ability to walk and speak. Nurses working at the artist’s home told the family he was entering his final chapter. Wright’s career took off from the 1960s until shortly after, suffering from various ailments.

“Gary’s vibrant personality and extraordinary talent made every moment truly enjoyable. His legacy will live on for many years to come. I will always cherish the warmth and kindness that Gary and his wife, Rose, showed me, and the stories they shared with me about days gone by. My condolences to his family, friends and fans during this difficult time,” singer-songwriter and Wright’s friend Stephen Bishop wrote via X (formerly Twitter).

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Who Was Gary Wright?

American musician gained popularity with the songs “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive”, released in 1975 and 1976 respectively. Similarly, the singer, born in New Jersey on the east coast of the United States, was part of the English band Spooky Tooth for various moments in his career.

The songs “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive”, part of Wright’s third studio album, peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Over the years, the musician created 12 albums, the first “Extraction” which was released in 1970, and the last “Connected” released in 2010.

The composer also worked on solo works by Beatles members George Harrison, including his debut single “All Things Must Pass”, and Ringo Starr. With the latter he participated in his musical group called All-Star Band. Wright also participated in songs by artists such as Nilsson, Tim Rose, BB King.

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