Sandra Wright
Sandra Wright was a Vermont-based blues and soul singer born on October 1, 1948, in Memphis, Tennessee. She began her musical journey singing gospel at age four and later majored in music at Tennessee State University.
After winning a local talent contest, Wright received offers from both the National Black Opera Company for a European tour and a Nashville R&B group called the Canned Souls. She chose the latter, touring with them for three years; the group was named Cashbox magazine's "Newcomers picked to click in 1969-70" for their single "Unbelievable." Following the group's 1971 split, she performed in Nashville clubs for 17 years, recorded singles for Truth Records (a Stax subsidiary), and sang radio/TV jingles.
In 1986, she joined the Nashville Minstrel Players and performed a one-woman tribute to Bessie Smith at the 1988 Chattanooga Music Festival. By 1990, she led the Nashville R&B group Bordello, briefly opened for Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, then formed her own Sandra Wright Band. The band released a 1992 debut album and relocated to Vermont that year; her 1995 album Shake You Down appeared on Hipshake Records.
Wright toured nationally with her blues/soul band and a jazz trio from Vermont. Notable releases include Wounded Woman (1996) and appearances on Stax/Volt compilations. She passed away around 2010, remembered as an internationally revered blues and jazz singer.
Wounded Woman
A2 The Sha-La Bandit (J. Ferguson, W. Davis 3:23)
A3 I'm Not Strong Enough To Love You Again F. Johnson 3:05)
A4 I Come Running Back (B. Fair 2:42)
A5 Lovin' You, Lovin' Me (B. Wyrick 3:22)
B1 A Man Can't Be A Man (Without A Woman) 3:01
B2 Midnight Affair (D. Penn, R. Hall 3:23)
B3 I'll See You Through 3:26
B4 Please Don't Say Goodbye (B. Fair 3:03)
Recorded at Broadway Sound Studio,
1307 Broadway Street,
Sheffield, Alabama, USA, October 1974.
Previously Unreleased.
Label: Demon Records – FIEND 138
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1989
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Southern Soul
The album Wounded Woman by Sandra Wright is considered one of the greatest "lost" deep Southern Soul albums of all time, highly regarded by collectors for its powerful vocals and classic 1970s Muscle Shoals sound.
The album was recorded in 1974 at Broadway Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and produced by David Johnson. It was licensed to the Truth subsidiary label of the legendary Stax Records. However, due to Stax's insolvency and subsequent demise, only a couple of 45 rpm singles were initially released, and the full album was shelved. It finally saw its first release in 1989 in the UK by Demon Records to immediate critical acclaim, becoming a highly sought-after collector's item.
It features nine (or ten, depending on the reissue) classic soul tracks, praised for their high quality and lack of "filler" songs. Sandra Wright's powerful vocals and "soul-fuelled" voice is a highlight of the album, demonstrating an impressive range and intensity. The instrumentation evokes the classic Muscle Shoals era, featuring a rich rhythm section with trumpet, organ, alto and tenor sax, electric piano, drums, guitar, and vibraphone.
The album balances bouncy, uptempo tracks that have become modern soul dancefloor favorites with deep, intense soul ballads.