Current:Home > StocksGary Wright, 'Dream Weaver' and 'Love is Alive' singer, dies at 80 after health battle: Reports -AssetLink
Gary Wright, 'Dream Weaver' and 'Love is Alive' singer, dies at 80 after health battle: Reports
View
Date:2025-04-13 03:15:22
Singer-songwriter Gary Wright, best known for his groundbreaking album "The Dream Weaver," has died. He was 80.
Wright died Monday at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, his sons Justin and Dorian confirmed to ABC News and Variety, respectively.
Wright’s son Justin told ABC News that his father had been battling Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia for the past six years.
USA TODAY has reached out to Wright's representative for comment.
Born in April 1943 in New Jersey, Wright found some success as the keyboardist for the British hard rock band Spooky Tooth. Following the group's disbandment, Wright devoted his efforts to his solo music career, releasing the albums "Extraction" and "Footprint" in 1970 and 1971, respectively.
Wright’s 1975 album "The Dream Weaver" became his breakthrough hit, boasting a pair of No. 2 singles in 1976: "Dream Weaver" and "Love is Alive." The soft rock album was also recognized as one of the first rock albums to feature only synthesizers.
"It was a big deal creatively because I had been working with basically a guitar-oriented band, which was Spooky Tooth," Wright told The Daytona Beach News-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2011. "I had never consciously sat down and said, 'I'm going to do an all-keyboard album.' It just fell into place as I was writing the songs for the album."
The album went on to sell 2 million copies, and its title track "Dream Weaver" has been featured in films such as as "Wayne's World, "The People vs. Larry Flynt" and "Toy Story 3."
Wright also lent his musical talents to his peers. The singer played keyboards on Beatles guitarist George Harrison's 1970 album "All Things Must Pass."
Steve Harwell:Former Smash Mouth singer dies at 56: 'A 100% full-throttle life'
'He lived his life like a song':Jimmy Buffett, 'Margaritaville' singer and mogul, dies
Contributing: Rick De Yampert, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
veryGood! (5)
Related
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- Buyers worldwide go for bigger cars, erasing gains from cleaner tech. EVs would help
- Eating out on Thanksgiving? You're not alone. Some Americans are opting not to cook
- NBA investigating accusation that Thunder’s Josh Giddey had relationship with underage girl
- Illinois governor calls for resignation of sheriff whose deputy fatally shot Black woman in her home
- Ukraine aims a major drone attack at Crimea as Russia tries to capture a destroyed eastern city
- Victims in Niagara Falls border bridge crash identified as Western New York couple
- Andrew Cuomo accused of sexual harassment by former aide in new lawsuit
- Billy Bean was an LGBTQ advocate and one of baseball's great heroes
- How to enroll in Zelle: Transfer money through the app easily with this step-by-step guide
Ranking
- How to watch new prequel series 'Dexter: Original Sin': Premiere date, cast, streaming
- 'Saltburn' ending: Barry Keoghan asked to shoot full-frontal naked dance 'again and again'
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade marches on after interruption from protesters
- Families of hostages not slated for release from Gaza during current truce face enduring nightmare
- Tropical weather brings record rainfall. Experts share how to stay safe in floods.
- Horoscopes Today, November 24, 2023
- The second installment of Sri Lanka’s bailout was delayed. The country hopes it’s coming in December
- AI drama over as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is reinstated with help from Microsoft
Recommendation
Macy's says employee who allegedly hid $150 million in expenses had no major 'impact'
Gwyneth Paltrow talks menopause and perimenopause: 'It's nothing to be hidden'
Georgia high school baseball player in coma after batting cage accident
What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and listening
Immigration issues sorted, Guatemala runner Luis Grijalva can now focus solely on sports
Powerball winning numbers for Nov. 22 drawing: Check your tickets for $313 million jackpot
A historic theater is fighting a plan for a new courthouse in Georgia’s second-largest city
Daryl Hall is suing John Oates over plan to sell stake in joint venture. A judge has paused the sale