Debbie Wright | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1951-06-18)June 18, 1951 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | October 12, 2017(2017-10-12) (aged 66) |
| Genres | Funk,Soul,R&B |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Formerly of | |
Deborah Carlene Wright (June 18, 1951 – October 12, 2017) was an American funk and soul singer, best known for her work withParliament-Funkadelic and as an original member of the female spin-off groupParlet. Wright’s vocals were a key part of the layered, gospel-inspired harmonies that defined the P-Funk sound in the 1970s.
Wright was born in Detroit, Michigan, into a musical family.[1] Her grandfather, Horace Sirmans, was the original bass singer for the gospel group the Flying Clouds of Detroit in the 1930s, and later organized a family group, The Family Jubilee Singers, which included her mother.[2]
In 1968, while still a student at Philip J. Murray–Wright High School, Wright was discovered at Detroit’s famedThe 20 Grand nightclub after being overheard singing along to a jukebox recording of Gladys Knight & the Pips. She was approached byFuzzy Haskins,Grady Thomas, andRay Davis ofThe Parliaments, who invited her to sing with them.[3][4] This encounter led to her earliest recording work at Golden World Recording Studio in Detroit with George Clinton and Funkadelic. AlongsideMallia Franklin, she contributed early background vocals—often uncredited—on Funkadelic tracks and later helped bringJeanette Washington into the Parliament-Funkadelic collective.[5][6]
In the mid-1970s, Wright became part ofGeorge Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic collective. Along with singerJeanette Washington, she was among the first women officially integrated into the group’s touring lineup during theMothership Connection era.[7][8]
Wright’s vocals are heard on Parliament releases includingMothership Connection (1975) andFunkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome (1977), as well as Funkadelic’sOne Nation Under a Groove (1978).[9] She also appeared onParliament Live: P-Funk Earth Tour (1977), a double live album that documented the elaborate stage production of the Mothership Connection Tour.[10]
According to Wright, she and Washington were recruited not only for their singing but also to add a visual element to the performances, giving the audience “something to look at” as part of the theatrical live shows.[11] Her time with the group led directly into the formation ofParlet, where she was an original member.
In 1978, George Clinton launched the spin-off groupParlet, initially built around Wright andJeanette Washington, withMallia Franklin joining soon after to complete the trio.[12] Together, they recorded the group’s debut album,Pleasure Principle which was released in 1978.
Wright’s contributions toPleasure Principle were especially notable. She sang lead on “Mr. Melody Man” and added co-lead and background parts throughout the record.[13] Bandmate Gary “Mudbone” Cooper later recalled that Wright delivered “Mr. Melody Man” with such emotion that “we all felt the blessing of her voice as she sung it with tears in her eyes because the words expressed her emotions at that moment in her life.”[14]
Her brother, drummer Jim Wright, was also associated with the project, contributing toPleasure Principle sessions as well asBernie Worrell’sAll the Woo in the World (1978).[15]
During the recording and promotion ofPleasure Principle, Wright began experiencing personal difficulties, including drug use and mental health challenges. Bandmates recalled that she sometimes struggled with paranoia and emotional distress during rehearsals.[16] Wright herself later spoke about these struggles, and they were also discussed in the documentaryTear the Roof Off: The Untold Story of Parliament-Funkadelic (2016).[4] These issues ultimately led to her leaving Parlet in 1978, after which she was replaced byShirley Hayden.[16]
After leaving Parliament-Funkadelic and Parlet in 1978, Wright withdrew from professional music. She later spoke about experiencing health and personal difficulties during this period, including struggles with substance use and mental health, which contributed to her departure from the group.[17]
Although she did not return to professional recording, Wright occasionally sang in church and local settings. On October 12, 2017, Wright died in Detroit from a brain aneurysm at the age of 66.[18]
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