Gary Wright, the singer-songwriter who pioneered the use of synthesizers in rock music with his 1975 album “The Dream Weaver,” has passed away. He was 80.
Wright died Monday at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, according to his sons Justin and Dorian, who confirmed the news to ABC News and Variety, respectively.
Wright’s son Justin told ABC News that his father had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia for the last six years.
Career Journey
Wright was born in April 1943 in New Jersey and started his musical career as the keyboardist for the British hard rock band Spooky Tooth.
After the band broke up, Wright focused on his solo music career, releasing the albums “Extraction” and “Footprint” in 1970 and 1971, respectively.
Wright’s 1975 album “The Dream Weaver” was his biggest hit, featuring two No. 2 singles in 1976: “Dream Weaver” and “Love is Alive.” The soft rock album was also one of the first rock albums to feature only synthesizers.
“I had never consciously sat down and said, ‘I’m going to do an all-keyboard album.’
“It was a big deal creatively because I had been working with basically a guitar-oriented band, which was Spooky Tooth.”
The album sold 2 million copies, and its title track “Dream Weaver” has been used in movies such as as “Wayne’s World, “The People vs. Larry Flynt” and “Toy Story 3.”
Wright also collaborated with other musicians. The singer played keyboards on Beatles guitarist George Harrison’s 1970 album “All Things Must Pass.”
