Stephen Carlton Wright (20 December 1947 – 27 December 2015) was an Australian singer, songwriter, and musician. Called Australia's first international pop star, he is best known for being the lead singer of the Easybeats, who are widely regarded as the greatest Australian pop band of the 1960s.

Born in Leeds, Wright migrated with his family to Australia at the age of nine, living in Melbourne and later Sydney at the Villawood Migrant Hostel, where he met his future bandmates and formed the Easybeats. Their early hits were co-written by Wright with bandmate George Young, including top ten hits such as "She's So Fine", "Wedding Ring", "Sorry" and "Women (Make You Feel Alright)". He was lead vocalist on their only international hit, "Friday on My Mind", which peaked at number one in Australia in 1966, the top ten in the United Kingdom, and the top twenty in the United States and Canada.

After the Easybeats disbanded in 1969, Wright fronted numerous groups including the Stevie Wright Band and Stevie Wright & the Allstars; his solo career included the 1974 single "Evie (Parts 1, 2 & 3)", which peaked at number one on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart. Wright had problems with alcohol and drug addiction. On 14 July 2005, the Easybeats, with Wright as a member, were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

History

Early years: 1964–69

Wright was born in Leeds, England, in 1947 to George Wright and Dorothy Wright (née Longden). His family migrated to Melbourne, Australia, when he was nine. They moved to Sydney in 1960 and lived in Villawood near the Villawood Migrant Hostel. (No. 3, 1965), "Wedding Ring" (No. 7, 1965), "Women (Make You Feel Alright)" (No. 4, 1966), "Come and See Her" (No. 3, 1966), "I'll Make You Happy" (track on Easyfever EP, No. 1, 1966), and "Sorry" (No. 1, 1966).

He was lead vocalist on their only international hit, "Friday on My Mind", Wright was renowned for his energetic stage performance, which included acrobatic back-flips and mod dance moves. released in May 1966, which peaked at No. 1. It became a hit—the first 11-minute song to chart at No. 1 anywhere in the world— and is now regarded as an Australian rock classic.

In 1983, there was talk of a solo album with work involving Vanda and Young again. Wright said the album would best be described as "classy rock 'n' roll", and the songs were about "a wide spectrum of all the experiences I've been through". He said the love songs he had were optimistic. The interview discussed how Wright worked in the studio with Vanda and Young:

The Easybeats re-formed for a brief Australian tour in 1986, and Wright re-formed variations of the Stevie Wright Band in 1986–88. Wright's substance-abuse problems continued into the 1980s and 1990s and he came close to death on several occasions but was supported by his partner, Fay Walker. His meteoric rise and fall has made him a frequent media subject. In 1999, journalist Jack Marx published a much-anticipated biography, Sorry – The Wretched Tale of Little Stevie Wright. It was critically applauded by some reviewers. Australian music historian Clinton Walker called it "gonzo journalism at its best". The Bulletin later referred to Sorry as "one of the most harrowing rock books ever written". Sorry was dismissed by Wright, his fans and other critics. Internet reviewer Ken Grady (Luna Kafé, 1999) described Marx as "a self serving hypocrite" and concluded his review by observing: "The only thing that Marx has achieved is to depict himself as a very unlikeable, morally bankrupt leech."

Long Way to the Top was a 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) six-part documentary on the history of Australian rock and roll from 1956 to the modern era. "Episode 2: Ten Pound Rocker", broadcast on 22 August, featured interviews with Harry Vanda and Johnny Young. As of 2001, Wright lived near Canberra with his partner Fay Walker, and he had a son, Nicholas, born in 1972 or 1973. Songs played included "Sorry", "I'll Make You Happy", "Evie (part 2)", "Friday on My Mind", "She's So Fine" and "Wedding Ring". He was interviewed for the Macquarie Regional Radioworks program Sunday Groovies, by Kym Ferguson, on 11 February. He reported that 2009 was an exciting and busy year with new material and previously unreleased tracks expected.

Wright retired and lived on the South Coast of New South Wales. He died on 27 December 2015 at Moruya Hospital of pneumonia. His funeral was held at St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney on 8 January 2016.

Bibliography

  • NOTE: only overview is available for on-line version.

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References

  • Portrait of Stevie Wright, London, 1975