Betty Wright

Betty Wright (born Bessie Regina Norris) is an iconic soul and R&B artist best known for the hits “Clean Up Woman” and the GRAMMY-winning “Where Is the Love,” two of the defining crossover records of the 1970s. Those recordings only begin to reflect the breadth of a six-decade career felt across generations and genres of music. Both a powerhouse vocalist and a nuanced song stylist, Wright combined church-trained grit with remarkable control, including her use of the whistle register. She was a songwriter of uncommon honesty and a hands-on producer and arranger who developed her own material and supported the work of other artists. Wright began singing as a child with her family’s gospel group before transitioning into secular music, charting at 14 with “Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do." Then came “Clean Up Woman,” a major R&B and pop hit that remains one of the most widely sampled recordings in modern music. In the 1970s, Wright had a run of hit albums and charting singles, including “Tonight Is the Night,” a live recording that became one of her signature songs. In the 1980s, Wright founded Ms. B Music, becoming the first female artist to earn a gold album on her own imprint for Mother Wit. Her catalog became core source material for sampling, extending her influence. Betty Wright also mentored a new generation including Joss Stone, Skip Marley, and DJ Khaled. Since her passing her legacy is stewarded by her daughters through Betty Wright Legacy Entertainment.