O.V. (Overton Vertis) Wright was one of the most underrated deep soul singers of his era. Born in Lenow, Tennessee, Wright began singing in the church as a youngster. In 1956, while still in high school, he joined The Sunset Travelers as one of the lead singers of the gospel group. He later fronted a gospel music group, the Harmony Echoes. It was during this time that he was discovered (along with James Carr) by Roosevelt Jamison, a songwriter and manager. Their first pop recording in 1964 was "That's How Strong My Love Is," a ballad later covered by Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones. Wright's works have been sampled by a number of Hip Hop artists. Wright's melismatic vocals and Willie Mitchell's vaunted Hi Rhythm Section combined to make classic Memphis soul during the early '70s. There are nice soulful horns and haunting background vocals provided by O.V.'s wife and sister. The first song, You're Gonna Make Me Cry, gives a good example of Wright's soulful down home vocals with simple yet poignant lyrics. I'd Rather Be Blind Crippled and Crazy is lyrically amusing as O.V. declares that he will never get back with the woman he's referring to. Everybody Knows ( The River Song ) is a haunting and evocative slow gospel tinged blues that meditates on the loneliness of the human condition. Drowning on Dry Land has a nice horn part and a great bubbling bass line and is another song about a love that went wrong. Don't Let My Baby Ride is a great mid tempo blues exhorting other men to leave his woman alone. I've Been Searching tells the story of looking for a little truth and honesty . A commodity in rare supply in the world then and now. I had been familiar with the main blues artists that most white people know and had never heard of O.V. Wright until I was working in a blues band run by an older black man and mentor some 40 years ago. This is still one of my favorite artists in this genre. I hope you are as moved by the soul of O.V. Wright as much as I am. Enjoy.
