Musician Gary Wright, known for the songs “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive,” has died, according to multiple reports. He was 80.
“It is with great sadness that I received the news of my dear friend Gary Wright’s passing,” two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop wrote on X, formerly called Twitter, with two attached photos.
TMZ and ABC 7 Los Angeles reported Wright’s death at his home in California, citing his son, Justin. The outlets also reported that Wright had been battling Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia for the last five to six years.
Variety also reported on Wright’s death, citing his other son, Dorian.
“Gary’s vibrant personality and exceptional talent made every moment together truly enjoyable. His legacy will live on for many years to come,” Bishop added. “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.”
Wright co-founded the British rock band Spooky Tooth and played keyboard for George Harrison, former member of the Beatles, on the album “All Things Must Pass.”
He was the first to create an all-synthesizer album in 1976 called “The Dream Weaver.”
“It was a big deal creatively because I had been working with basically a guitar-oriented band, which was Spooky Tooth. 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. I only had keyboards,” Wright told The Daytona Beach News-Journal in 2011.
Wright’s music has been referenced by Eminem and sampled by Kanye West and Jay-Z.