Betty Wright, Grammy-Winning Soul Music Icon, Has Died At 66
Betty Wright has passed away at the age of 66. The 70s music icon invested her vocals into R&B and soul. Wrightâs niece shared the shocking news via Twitter on Motherâs Day (May 10).
Playing a major role in the music industry, Wrightâs most popular songs included âNo Pain, (No Gain)â and âTonight Is the Night.â Her 1972 single âClean Up Womanâ would be memorialized when it was sampled for Mary J. Bligeâs remix of âReal Love,â going down in hip-hop/soul history.Â
Wrightâs classic hit âWhere Is the Love,â was crowned Best R&B Song during the 1976 Grammys, she was later named the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer for Individual Artists in 2000.Â
Her riff from âClean Up Womanâ has created a life-long legacy as the cut has been sampled by other artists including SWV, Sublime, Willie D, Afrika Bambaattaa, and Chance the Rapper. Her first hit, âGirls Canât Do What Guys Do,â was later sampled for Beyonceâs âUpgrade U.âÂ
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The cause of death of Ms. Betty Wright has yet to be revealed, though just one week ago (on May 2), Chaka Khan took to Instagram asking for prayers for Wright:
Here is what Twitter had to say to mourn the legend: