Curtis Blaine Wright (born June 6, 1955 in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania) is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1989 with the single "She's Got a Man on her Mind" on a branch of MCA Records, before recording a solo album in 1992 on Liberty Records. By 1994, he and frequent songwriting partner Robert Ellis Orrall had formed a duo known as Orrall & Wright, which also recorded one major-label album. Wright later succeeded Brent Lamb in 2002 as the lead vocalist for the band Shenandoah, until being replaced by Jimmy Yeary in 2007. He has toured as a member of Pure Prairie League (2000–2002; 2004–2006) as well.[1] Curtis Wright married Debra Demko November 26, 2019.

Biography

Initially a member of a band known as the Country Generation, succeeded by the Super Grit Cowboy Band, Wright later performed as a backup vocalist and guitarist for Vern Gosdin.[2] In December 1989, he quit Gosdin's band and wrote Ronnie Milsap's number one single "A Woman in Love".[3] Wright signed with Airborne Records in 1989 and released "She's Got a Man on Her Mind", which charted at number 38 on Hot Country Songs. (A version of the same song by Conway Twitty charted one year later.) Wright was also slated to release an album titled Slick Hick in March 1990, which would have been produced by himself and Jeff Carlton.[4] However, the album went unreleased due to financial issues with the label.[5]

Later in the same year, he co-wrote Shenandoah's "Next to You, Next to Me" with Robert Ellis Orrall, and Steve Wariner's top 20 hit "There for Awhile". In 1992, Wright signed to Liberty Records, where he released his self-titled debut album[6] that year. This album produced two more low-charting singles. It also included the song "What's It to You", which Wright also co-wrote with Orrall. Although Wright's version was never released as a single, Clay Walker later recorded this song on his 1993 debut album, and his version was a number one hit that year. He also co-wrote Shenandoah's 1992 single "Rock My Baby".[7] Also in 1992, Wright co-wrote a song with fellow country singer Dennis Robbins and musician Warren Haynes which would become the title track of Robbins first Giant Records album called "Man With A Plan", for which Wright also provided backing vocals on. By 1994, Wright joined Orrall to form Orrall & Wright, a duo which charted two singles, recorded one album for Giant Records and received a Duo of the Year nomination from the Country Music Association before disbanding.[2] Wright later wrote Daryle Singletary's 1996 single "Too Much Fun".

After the departure of their former lead singer Brent Lamb (who, in turn, replaced Marty Raybon) in the late 1990s, Shenandoah chose Wright as their third lead singer.[8] Wright left Shenandoah in 2007 to join Reba McEntire's band and Jimmy Yeary succeeded him.

Discography

Curtis Wright (1992)

Track listing

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes.[9]

• Mike Baker – acoustic guitar
• Bill Cook – bass guitar
• Larry Franklin – fiddle
• Sonny Garrish – steel guitar
• Steve Gibson – electric guitar
• Vince Gill – background vocals
• Rob Hajacos – fiddle
• Jana King – background vocals
• Chris Leuzinger – electric guitar
• Randy McCormick – piano
• Roger McVay – bass guitar
• Tony Piro – drums
• Gary Prim – piano
• Brent Rowan – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
• Curt Ryle – acoustic guitar, steel guitar
• James Stroud – drums
• Curtis Wright – vocals, acoustic guitar
• Curtis Young – background vocals

Technical

• Julian King – recording
• Glenn Meadows – mastering
• Lynn Peterzell – production, recording, mixing
• James Stroud – production

Singles

Music videos

Chart Singles written by Curtis Wright

The following is a list of Curtis Wright compositions that were chart hits.

References