O. V. Wright
| O.V. Wright | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Overton Vertis Wright |
| Born |
October 9, 1939 Lenow, Shelby County Tennessee, United States |
| Died | November 16, 1980 (aged 41) Mobile, Alabama, United States |
| Genres | R&B soul, funk, deep soul, soul blues |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician, producer, instrumentalist, sideman |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, drums, piano/keyboards |
| Years active | 1964–1980 |
| Labels | Back Beat Records, Hi Records |
| Associated acts | Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Al Green, Bobby Womack, James Carr, Rolling Stones |
| Website | Official website |
Overton Vertis "O. V." Wright (October 9, 1939 – November 16, 1980) was an American singer who is generally regarded as a blues artist by African American fans in the Deep South; he is also regarded as one of Southern soul's most authoritative and individual artists. His best known songs include "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).
Born in Lenow, Tennessee, Wright, as a youngster, began singing in the church. In 1956, while still in high school, he joined The Sunset Travelers as one of the lead singers for the gospel group. He later fronted a gospel music group, the Harmony Echoes. It was during this time that 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 ballad later covered by Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones. It was issued on Goldwax, the label Wright signed to after leaving his gospel career. It was later determined that Don Robey still had him under a recording contract, due to his gospel group having recorded for Peacock. After his contract was shifted to Don Robey's Back Beat label, further R&B hits followed. Working with record producer Willie Mitchell, success continued on songs including "Ace of Spades" and "A Nickel and a Nail".
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