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New Interview With Betty Wright
November 15, 2011
"I don't feel like I need to tell any lies," Betty Wright says. "You get to an age where you get tired of hiding behind whatever people think is correct. You just say what you have to say, and if they don't like it, it's OK."
Wright found fame in the 1970s as the voice behind the R&B hits "Clean Up Woman" and "Dance With Me." Today, Wright is much in demand as a vocalist, coach, writer, arranger and producer. Her first album out in 10 years is out this week; it's called Betty Wright: The Movie.
"You don't just hear these songs — you can see the scenarios," Wright states. "I'm sure there's somebody out there that needs their next script for their next movie, and this is it. This is a script of life. Every song could be a movie."
Wright has worked with an impressive roster of collaborators in her career, includingMarvin Gaye and Bob Marley. On the new album, Wright trades verses with rappersLil Wayne and Snoop Dogg, and is backed up by the ultimate house band, The Roots.
She says the recording studio experience has changed dramatically since her early days, in part because the older technology left very little room for mistakes.
"There were big horn sections, strings, live people laying on every part of the floor in the studio, waiting for their chance to get on that one little track," Wright says. "And that means you didn't have a chance to do anything wrong. They would take you out in the alley and beat your butt! Because it was everybody singing, playing at the same time. If there were 25 people and you were the one that messed up, they would see you."
Recently, Wright has devoted much of her time to coaching younger singers, Joss Stone and Jennifer Lopez among them.
She says her work with rising stars is her own way of safeguarding the future of popular music — and that it's much more productive than viewing them as her competition.
"I believe in legacy," Wright says. "And I believe in making the radio sound better. If I gotta listen to it, I want it to sound good. So I'm tired of people disturbing the peace, getting on the radio and sounding a hot mess. If I can tell what the note really is, why let them go to the note they think it is? I've got that mama vibe. I don't look at it with an ego." | |
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I was listening to the samples from her new CD earlier and it is way above my expectations. I will be ordering that sucker within the next couple of days. "It's not nice to fuck with K.B.! All you haters will see!" - Kitbradley
"The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing." - Socrates | |
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Wow, you think that picture was taken in 1972. | |
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Black don't crack. 
yeah, she looks good | |
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Space for sale... | |
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Jennifer Lopez? 
She's not much of a voice coach then huh? | |
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"It's not nice to fuck with K.B.! All you haters will see!" - Kitbradley
"The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing." - Socrates | |
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Well, she's not that old. She's only 57. The difference is that she started singing professionally at around 16 or 17 years old. **--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••-
U 'gon make me shake my doo loose! http://www.twitter.com/nivlekbrad | |
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The sad fact is we all know that Urban radio will never go near her new album. She has been unfairly relegated to the status of "too old to be considered relevant anymore." | |
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It depends on how it's promoted. I really think she might stand a chance, especially after her his with Angie Stone got so much urban play a couple of years ago. **--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••-
U 'gon make me shake my doo loose! http://www.twitter.com/nivlekbrad | |
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I've seen some black folks her age look 20 years older than she does here. | |
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^
Yeah, Dr Dre, to name one. | |
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Looking 66 when he's 46. Not good. | |
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From what I've read, she recorded her first album at age 14
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Yep, she was indeed only 14. Actually her professional career started at 12. | |
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That woman produced some REALLY GOOD SHIT with Gwen McCrae..."Melody of Life" THAT is black music...Good God that record is great! [Edited 11/16/11 22:14pm] | |
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I've never heard this one. Great track. **--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••-
U 'gon make me shake my doo loose! http://www.twitter.com/nivlekbrad | |
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and the fact that she's working with The Roots on this one will definitely solidify her into a niche market that will be open to this record. The okayplayer and "Roots Family Picnic" crowd would prolly check this out... | |
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Released back in '68. | |
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