Betty Wright
Betty Wright was a prominent American soul and R&B singer, known for her powerful voice and influential contributions to the music industry. She began her professional career in the late 1960s as a teenager and quickly gained recognition for her distinctive sound and songwriting abilities.
Wright is best remembered for her hits, particularly "Clean Up Woman," released in 1971, which became a Top Ten pop and soul song. Her Grammy-winning track "Where Is The Love," released in 1975, solidified her status as an iconic artist in R&B and soul music.
In addition to her successes in music, she was an entrepreneur who founded Ms B Records in the early 80s, showcasing her independent spirit and dedication to nurturing other black creatives in the industry.
Unfortunately, Betty Wright passed away on May 10, 2020, at the age of 66, leaving behind a rich legacy of music and artistry that continues to inspire.
Danger High Voltage
Producer, Written-By – Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke
3:48
A2 Love Don't Grow On A Love Tree
Producer – Steve Alaimo, Willie Clarke
Written-By – B. Wright, H.W. Casey, W. Clarke
3:01
A3 Show Your Girl
Producer – H.W. Casey, Richard Finch, Willie Clarke
Written-By – H.W. Casey - R. Finch
2:38
A4 Come On Up
Producer – Willie Clarke
Written-By – Felix Cavaliere
2:59
A5 Shoorah! Shoorah!
Producer – Willie Clarke
Written-By – A. Toussaint
2:55
B1 Where Is The Love
Producer – H.W. Casey, Richard Finch, Willie Clarke
Written-By – H.W. Casey - R. Finch
4:55
B2 That's When I'll Stop Loving You
Producer – H.W. Casey, Willie Clarke
Written-By – Billy Kennedy
3:23
B3 Don't Thank Me Baby, Thank Yourself
Producer – H.W. Casey, Willie Clarke
Written-By – Gloria Jones, Pam Sawyer
2:54
B4 Tonight Is The Night
Producer – Willie Clarke
Written-By – Betty Wright, Willie Clarke
4:00
Label: Alston Records – 4400
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1974
Genre: R&B Soul, Funk
Style: Seventies Soul, Disco
Betty Wright's Danger High Voltage (1974) is widely hailed as a landmark soul/funk album, showcasing her powerful voice and featuring massive hits like "Shoorah! Shoorah!," Grammy-winning "Where Is the Love," and the iconic "Tonight Is the Night," blending sassy vocals with fiery disco, funk, and smooth R&B, solidifying her status and remaining a cornerstone of her catalog. Reviews praise its cohesive groove, strong production by Clarence Reid & Willie Clarke, and timeless appeal, making it essential for soul fans.
Key Highlights:
"Where Is the Love": A Grammy-winning track that blended soul with emerging disco influences, featuring infectious "chicken-scratch" funk and horn arrangements.
"Tonight Is the Night": A sensuous, tender studio recording about first sexual experiences, later famously sampled in hip-hop (notably by Candyman).
"Shoorah! Shoorah!": An Allen Toussaint-penned "pop-soul confection" that became a Top 30 hit in the UK.
"Everybody Was Rockin'": A high-energy opening track that sets a funky, horn-heavy tone for the record.
The album masterfully mixes Southern funk, proto-disco, and smooth soul with a distinctive fiery edge. Features strong collaboration with producers Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke, creating a perfectly gelled sound.
It showcases Wright's powerful, sassy, and passionate voice across diverse tracks. Considered one of her finest works, it's an underrated cornerstone of classic soul, popular for its groove and longevity, even sampled in later media.
The album received high praise for its mix of exuberant dance tracks and soulful ballads:-
Rolling Stone: Awarded it four out of four stars, describing it as a vibrant cross-section of soul recorded during the peak of the Miami sound.
Robert Christgau (Village Voice): Rated the album an A-, noting that Wright had never sounded "brighter or sassier".
BBC Music: Highlights the album as "bright, bubbly and frequently life-affirming," serving as a key factor in Wright's long-term career longevity.
In summary, Danger High Voltage is a defining album for Betty Wright, solidifying her status as a top female soul artist with its blend of heartfelt themes, empowering anthems, and irresistibly danceable tracks, making it a must-have for soul and rare groove fans .
Hard To Stop
A2 Sweet Wonder (Betty Wright, Joanne Shelby, Willie Clarke 2:26)
A3 The Experts (Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke 3:02)
A4 We The Two Of Us (Betty Wright, Willie Clarke 3:00)
A5 Let Me Go Down (Al Kooper 2:57)
B1 Gimme Back My Man (Billy Kennedy 3:28)
B2 Who'll Be The Fool (Clarence Reid, H. W. Casey, Willie Clarke 3:17)
B3 The Babysitter (Betty Wright, Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke 3:02)
B4 If You Think You've Got Soul (Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke 2:15)
B5 It's Hard To Stop (Doing Something When It's Good To You) (Betty Wright, Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke 3:14)
Label: Alston Records – SD 7026
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul
Hard To Stop is a funk-driven Southern soul album and the third studio album by American soul singer Betty Wright, who was a teenager at the time. Produced by Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke, among others, the record is known for its strong, consistent songwriting and diverse musical styles.
The album showcases Wright's bold "soul sister" style, blending powerful vocals with a raw, gospelfied sound. While it features the laid-back, mellow keyboard touches and subdued horn passages characteristic of Miami soul, it also incorporates funky numbers, smooth ballads, and even a Latin-tinged dance track.
The producers sought to build on the success of her massive hit "Clean Up Woman" (from the previous album I Love the Way You Love), including tracks like "Gimme Back My Man" and the single "The Babysitter" that use a similar rolling groove and theme. Wright also co-wrote four songs on the album, demonstrating maturity beyond her years. A notable cover is her soulful rendition of Helen Reddy's feminist anthem "I Am Woman".
While Hard To Stop did not achieve the massive commercial success of her previous album's hit single, critics praise it as one of her most consistent and strong records in the Alston catalog. It is a classic example of early 70s female Southern soul and is considered a must-have for fans of the genre. The album's title track, "It's Hard to Stop (Doing Something When It's Good to You)," also served as a successful single, peaking at #12 on the R&B charts.
My First Time Around
Written-By – Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke 2:04
A2 Funny How Love Grows Cold
Written-By – Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke 2:51
A3 I'm Gonna Hate Myself In The Morning
Written-By – Arthur Alexander, Dale Ward 2:11
A4 Circle Of Heartbreak
Written-By – Betty Wright 2:58
A5 Sweet Lovin' Daddy
Written-By – Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke 2:25
A6 Cry Like A Baby
Written-By – Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham 2:34
B1 Watch Out Love
Written-By – Wright, Shapiro, Clarke 2:41
B2 He's Bad, Bad, Bad
Written-By – Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke 2:22
B3 I Can't Stop My Heart
Written-By – Jackie Avery 3:24
B4 I'm Thankful
Written-By – Alexander, Cooke, Alaimo 2:03
B5 The Best Girls Don't Always Win
Written-By – Clarence Reid 3:08
B6 Just You
Written-By – Sonny Bono 3:06
Label: ATCO Records – SD-33-260
Series: Alston Record Series
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1968
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Southern Soul
Betty Wright's debut album, My First Time Around (1968), is considered an essential Southern Soul record featuring strong songs and mature vocal performances that belied her young age of 14 at the time of recording. Critics and fans praise the album for its great production, the power of Wright's voice, and its lack of "filler" tracks.
Reviewers consistently note Wright's exceptional vocal abilities, which were considered well beyond her years. Her powerful high register and wide range allowed her to sing about adult themes convincingly, leading some to initially assume she was an older artist.
The album, produced by Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke, is lauded for its superb production, which showcases classic late 1960s Atlantic soul at its best. Some reviewers specifically highlight the quality of the mono mixes and recent remasters.
Wright's songwriting skills are also recognized, including the track "Circle of Heartbreak" which she wrote herself at age 14. The album contains her first chart single, "Girls Can't Do What the Guys Do". While some sources found the lyrics of the latter slightly chauvinistic given her typical assertive style, the album as a whole features strong, engaging material.
The album is highly recommended by fans and experts alike, with a strong average user rating on platforms like Discogs (4.67/5). It is described as a "gem," an "absolute essential in any Soul music lovers' record collection," and a fantastic debut from start to finish.