Editing Syreeta Wright (section)

==Biography==
===Early life and career===
Wright, who was of [[African Americans|African American]] heritage, was born in [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]], United States,<ref name="LarkinSM">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Who's Who of Soul Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1993|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-733-9|page=258}}</ref> in 1946, and started singing at the age of four. Her father, Lordian Wright, served in the [[Korean War]] and was killed there. Wright and her sister Kim<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sandiegouniontribune/name/syreeta-wright-obituary?pid=2411531|title=Syreeta Wright Obituary (2004) San Diego Union-Tribune|website=Legacy.com|access-date=14 October 2021}}</ref> were raised by their mother Essie and their grandmother. The Wrights moved back and forth from [[Detroit]] to [[South Carolina]], before finally settling in Detroit just as Wright entered high school. Money problems kept Wright from pursuing a career in [[ballet]], so she focused her attention on a music career joining several singing groups, before landing a job as a [[receptionist]] for [[Motown Records|Motown]] in 1965.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> Within a year, she became a secretary for [[Mickey Stevenson]], just as [[Martha Reeves]] had done before her.

A year later, [[Edward Holland, Jr.|Edward Holland]] of the [[Holland–Dozier–Holland]] songwriting team noticed Wright's singing and decided to try her out for demos of [[The Supremes|Supremes]]' songs. However, in those days, the team of composers [[Ashford and Simpson]] had joined Motown and their songs were initially supervised by established producers. Edward's brother, composer and producer [[Brian Holland]], co-wrote "I Can't Give Back the Song I Feel for You" with the couple, and produced it with [[Lamont Dozier]] for Syreeta. Brian felt Syreeta was a hard name to pronounce, and that Rita Wright would make a good stage name, so Wright's first solo single was released in January 1968<ref name="LarkinSM"/> under that name, with "Something On My Mind" on the flip side. It is often said that the song was initially written for the Supremes (by then billed as "Diana Ross & the Supremes"), but Motown session logs indicate that the backing track was not recorded for anyone else previously. Later, [[Diana Ross]] re-recorded the song for her solo album, ''[[Surrender (Diana Ross album)|Surrender]]'', released in 1971.

Wright also performed demo vocals for the Supremes hit "[[Love Child (song)|Love Child]]" and for Ross' version of "Something On My Mind", released on her [[Diana Ross (1970 album)|self-titled debut album]]. When [[Diana Ross]] left the Supremes in early 1970, Motown boss [[Berry Gordy]] considered replacing her with Wright, but offered the place in the group to [[Jean Terrell]]. According to several sources, Gordy then changed his mind and tried to replace Terrell with Wright, but this was vetoed by member [[Mary Wilson (singer)|Mary Wilson]]<ref>{{Cite book |title=Dreamgirl & Supreme Faith, Updated Edition: My Life as a Supreme |last=Wilson |first=Mary |date=2000|publisher=Cooper Square Press |isbn=978-0-8154-1000-3|language=en}}</ref> since Terrell had already been formally announced as the new lead singer in the media and at the final performance of the Ross-led incarnation of the group.

Wright also sang background on records by the Supremes and by [[Martha and the Vandellas]], notably singing the chorus to the group's modest hit single, "[[I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing]]". Wright met labelmate [[Stevie Wonder]] in 1968,<ref name="LarkinSM"/> and the two began dating the following year. On the advice of Wonder, Wright became a songwriter. Their first collaboration, "[[It's a Shame (The Spinners song)|It's a Shame]]", was recorded by [[The Spinners (U.S. band)|The Spinners]], in 1969. Motown withheld its release until July 1970. The song reached number 14 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. Wright also began singing backing for Wonder, most notably on the hit "[[Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)]]", which Wright co-wrote with Wonder.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> On 14 September 1970, after a year-long courtship, Wright, 24, and Wonder, 20, married in Detroit.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> The couple then wrote and arranged songs for Wonder's ''[[Where I'm Coming From]]'',<ref name="LarkinSM"/> which was released much to Berry Gordy's chagrin in the spring of 1971. The Wonder–Wright composition "[[If You Really Love Me]]" (which also featured Wright prominently singing background vocals) reached number 8 in the US that year. In 1971 the couple relocated to [[New York City]].

===Solo career===
In between working with Wonder on his albums, Wright decided to return to her own singing career.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> Motown reassigned the singer from Motown's Gordy imprint, where "I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel for You" was released, to Motown's L.A.-based MoWest subsidiary. Wonder and Wright had marriage troubles and divorced in the summer of 1972, ending their 18-month marriage.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> Following their divorce, Wonder oversaw the production of Wright's first solo album, ''[[Syreeta (1972 album)|Syreeta]]'' (released on June 20, 1972),<ref name="LarkinSM"/> which included her take of Wonder's "I Love Every Little Thing About You" from ''Music of My Mind'', the [[Smokey Robinson]] classic "[[What Love Has Joined Together]]", and [[The Beatles]]' "[[She's Leaving Home]]", which featured both Wonder and Wright applying background vocals via the [[talk box]]. MoWest issued "I Love Every Little Thing About You" in the late winter of 1972, but it failed to chart. Remaining best friends, Wright would continue to provide background vocals and compositions with Wonder for the next two decades.<ref name="LarkinSM"/>

In 1974, Wright was again reassigned, this time to the Motown label proper (in the U.S.), and issued her second release, the aptly titled ''[[Stevie Wonder Presents: Syreeta]]'' that June.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> Following the success of [[Minnie Riperton]]'s ''[[Perfect Angel]]'', which Wonder also produced, Wonder wanted to present Wright in the same light as Riperton as a sensual vocalist. The covers also were very similar to each other. Riperton added background vocals to the album, primarily at the end of the album track "Heavy Day". The album yielded the UK singles "I'm Goin' Left" (covered by [[Eric Clapton]] and [[Jerry Butler (singer)|Jerry Butler]]), "Spinnin' and Spinnin'" and the [[reggae]]-flavored "[[Your Kiss Is Sweet]]",<ref name="LarkinSM"/> which became a UK top 40, reaching number 12 in 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/15138/syreeta/|title=Syreeta - full Official Chart History|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=February 11, 2011}}</ref> The album also featured one duet with [[G. C. Cameron]], formerly of the Spinners.

Production on Wright's third album, ''[[One to One (Syreeta album)|One to One]]'' mainly produced by [[Leon Ware]], who also produced [[Marvin Gaye]] and Riperton, went on for two years. The album featured the sole Wonder production, "Harmour Love", which later would find some success after being featured on the 2005 movie ''[[Junebug (film)|Junebug]]''. During this period Syreeta also made vocal contributions to two albums by American jazz saxophonist [[Gary Bartz]] - ''Juju Man'' (1976) and ''[[Music Is My Sanctuary]]'' (1977). In 1977, she teamed up again with G.C. Cameron on the duet album, ''[[Rich Love, Poor Love]]''.

Wright's next effort came courtesy of a chance meeting with [[Billy Preston]], who had signed with Motown in early 1979. Motown assigned the two to collaborate on a pop ballad for the movie ''[[Fast Break (film)|Fast Break]]''.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> Wright and Preston provided the soundtrack of the film and their first collaboration, "[[With You I'm Born Again]]", resulted in an international hit reaching number-four US and number-two UK in early 1980.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19800119/7501 | title=Official Singles Chart Top 75 &#124; Official Charts Company | website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]] }}</ref> The success of the song led Motown to renew Wright's contract, which was due to expire that year, with neither side looking to renegotiate. Wright and Preston continued their collaborations until the early 1980s including the 1981 duet album, ''[[Billy Preston & Syreeta]]''.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> Wright had also sung on Billy Preston's appearance on the debut episode of [[Saturday Night Live]], on October 11, 1975.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2915s5nNS8A | title=Billy Preston - Fancy Lady (Live at Saturday Night Live 1975) | website=[[YouTube]] | date=May 7, 2022 }}</ref>

Wright still worked with Wonder during this period singing the lead vocals for their composition "Come Back as a Flower" for Wonder's 1979 album ''[[Journey through the Secret Life of Plants]]'' and also sung alongside Wonder on his 1980 song "As If You Read My Mind" for his ''[[Hotter than July]]'' album. Wright continued to provide background vocals until Wonder's 1995 album ''[[Conversation Peace]]''.

Wright continued to record for Motown into the 1980s, releasing her second [[Syreeta (1980 album)|self-titled album]] in 1980, and the [[funk]]/[[boogie (genre)|boogie]]-oriented ''[[Set My Love in Motion]]'' in late 1981.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> The album featured the minor R&B hit "Quick Slick", which peaked at number 41 R&B in early 1982. During that same time period, she added vocals to the theme song for the Canadian slasher-horror flick ''[[Happy Birthday to Me (film)|Happy Birthday to Me]]'', known for starring ''[[Little House on the Prairie (TV series)|Little House on the Prairie]]''′s [[Melissa Sue Anderson]]. Wright then issued ''The Spell'' in 1983 produced by [[Jermaine Jackson]],<ref name="LarkinSM"/> and left Motown two years later after collaborating with [[Smokey Robinson]] for the soundtrack to Berry Gordy's ''[[The Last Dragon]]'' in 1985. She briefly recorded for [[Motorcity Records]] before retiring from show business for good in the mid-1990s and settling in [[Los Angeles]] with her four children.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> In 1993, she joined the national touring cast of ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]'' in the role of [[Mary Magdalene]], alongside original film stars [[Ted Neeley]] and [[Carl Anderson (singer)|Carl Anderson]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-07-05-ca-12182-story.html |title=A 'Superstar' Start on a New Career : Theater: Syreeta Wright plays Mary Magdalene in 'Jesus Christ Superstar.' It's her first stage role ever and first singing job since the '80s. |last=Hunt |first=Dennis |date=July 5, 1994 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=August 8, 2018 |language=en-US |issn=0458-3035}}</ref> She stayed in the cast until 1995.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EfYugMlfPLcC&q=syreeta+jesus+christ+superstar+1995&pg=PA29 |title=Theatre World 1994–1995 |last=Willis |first=John |date=March 1, 2000 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=9781557832504 |language=en}}</ref> In 1997, she guested on British soul singer [[Omar Lye-Fook|Omar]]'s album, ''This Is Not a Love Song'', singing the duet "Lullaby".<ref name="Omarmusic">{{cite web |title=Omar - This Is Not A Love Song |url=https://omarmusic.co.uk/biography/ |website=Omarmusic |access-date=29 March 2020}}</ref>