Singer Gary Wright, who is best known for his songs hit singles ‘Dream Weaver’ and ‘Love Is Alive’, has died.
He was 80.
Justin Wright, Gary’s son, told TMZ his father passed away Monday morning at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, CA.
The singer was diagnosed with Parkinson’s about 5 or 6 years ago, as well as Lewy body dementia shortly thereafter, TMZ reported.
Singer Stephen Bishop mourned his death and posted on X: “It is with great sadness that I received the news of my dear friend Gary Wright’s passing. The attached photos hold precious memories from the very first and last time we shared the stage together, alongside our mutual musical pal John Ford Coley.”
“Gary’s vibrant personality and exceptional talent made every moment together truly enjoyable. His legacy will live on for many years to come. I will always cherish the warmth and kindness shown to me by Gary and his wife Rose, and I will forever hold dear the stories he shared with me about days gone by. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans during this difficult time,” he said.
Wright’s breakthrough album, The Dream Weaver (1975), came after he had spent seven years in London as, alternately, a member of the British blues rock band Spooky Tooth and a solo artist on A&M Records.
While in England, he played keyboards on former Beatle George Harrison’s triple album All Things Must Pass (1970), so beginning a friendship that inspired the Indian religious themes and spirituality inherent in Wright’s subsequent songwriting.
His work since the late 1980s has embraced world music and the new age genre, although none of his post-1976 releases have matched the same level of popularity as The Dream Weaver.
Wright turned to film soundtrack work in the early 1980s, including re-recording his most popular song, “Dream Weaver”, for the 1992 comedy Wayne’s World.
Following Spooky Tooth’s reunion tour in 2004, Wright has performed live frequently, either as a member of Starr’s All-Starr Band, with his own live band, or on subsequent Spooky Tooth reunions. Wright’s most recent solo albums, including Waiting to Catch the Light (2008) and Connected (2010), have all been issued on his Larklio record label.
In 2014, Jeremy P. Tarcher published Wright’s autobiography, Dream Weaver: Music, Meditation, and My Friendship with George Harrison.
