Curtis Wright

Curtis Blaine Wright (born June 6, 1955, in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania) is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1989 with the single "She's Got a Man on her Mind" on a branch of MCA Records, before recording a solo album in 1992 on Liberty Records. By 1994, he and frequent songwriting partner Robert Ellis Orrall had formed a duo known as Orrall & Wright, which also recorded one major-label album. Wright later succeeded Brent Lamb in 2002 as the lead vocalist for the band Shenandoah, until being replaced by Jimmy Yeary in 2007. He has toured as a member of Pure Prairie League (2000–2002; 2004–2006) as well.[1] Curtis Wright married Debra Demko November 26, 2019.

Curtis Wright
Birth name	Curtis Blaine Wright
Born	June 6, 1955
Origin	Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, United States
Genres	Country
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1989–present
Labels	MCA/Airborne, Liberty (solo) Giant (in Orrall & Wright) Free Falls, Cumberland Road (in Shenandoah)
Associated acts	Vern Gosdin Robert Ellis Orrall Shenandoah

Biography

Initially a member of a band known as the Country Generation, succeeded by the Super Grit Cowboy Band, Wright later performed as a backup vocalist and guitarist for Vern Gosdin.[2] In December 1989, he quit Gosdin's band and wrote Ronnie Milsap's number one single "A Woman in Love".[3] Wright signed with Airborne Records in 1990 and released "She's Got a Man on Her Mind", which charted at number 38 on Hot Country Songs. (A version of the same song by Conway Twitty charted one year later.) Wright was also slated to release an album titled Slick Hick in March 1990, which would have been produced by himself and Jeff Carlton.[4] However, the album went unreleased due to financial issues with the label.[5]

Later in the same year, he co-wrote Shenandoah's "Next to You, Next to Me" with Robert Ellis Orrall, and Steve Wariner's top 20 hit "There for Awhile". In 1992, Wright signed to Liberty Records, where he released his self-titled debut album that year. This album produced two more low-charting singles. It also included the song "What's It to You", which Wright also co-wrote with Orrall. Although Wright's version was never released as a single, Clay Walker later recorded this song on his 1993 debut album, and his version was a number one hit that year. He also co-wrote Shenandoah's 1992 single "Rock My Baby".[6] By 1994, Wright joined Orrall to form Orrall & Wright, a duo which charted two singles and recorded one album for Giant Records before disbanding.[2] Wright later wrote Daryle Singletary's 1996 single "Too Much Fun".

After the departure of their former lead singer Brent Lamb (who, in turn, replaced Marty Raybon) in the late 1990s, Shenandoah chose Wright as their third lead singer.[7] Wright left Shenandoah in 2007 to join Reba McEntire's band and Jimmy Yeary succeeded him.

Discography

Curtis Wright (1992)

Curtis Wright
Studio album by Curtis Wright
Released	July 14, 1992
Genre	Country
Label	Liberty
Producer	James Stroud Lynn Peterzell

Track listing

1. "What's It to You" (Wright, Robert Ellis Orrall) – 2:47
2. "Phonographic Memory" (Wright, Orrall, Doug Millett) – 2:29
3. "If I Ever Love Again" (Wright, Billy Spencer) – 3:53
4. "I Can't Stand to Watch My Old Flame Burn" (Wright, T. J. Knight) – 3:02
5. "I Don't Know How Love Starts" (Wright, Knight, Rich Alves) – 3:40
6. "If I Could Stop Lovin' You" (Wright, Spencer, Orrall) – 2:23
7. "If You Don't Love Me" (Wright) – 3:05
8. "Talk to Me, Heart" (Wright) – 3:45
9. "I Tripped over Your Memory" (Wright, Curt Ryle, Mike Baker) – 2:50
10. "Hometown Radio" (Vernon Rust) – 3:45

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes.[8]

• Mike Baker – acoustic guitar
• Bill Cook – bass guitar
• Larry Franklin – fiddle
• Sonny Garrish – steel guitar
• Steve Gibson – electric guitar
• Vince Gill – background vocals
• Rob Hajacos – fiddle
• Jana King – background vocals
• Chris Leuzinger – electric guitar
• Randy McCormick – piano
• Roger McVay – bass guitar
• Tony Piro – drums
• Gary Prim – piano
• Brent Rowan – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
• Curt Ryle – acoustic guitar, steel guitar
• James Stroud – drums
• Curtis Wright – vocals, acoustic guitar
• Curtis Young – background vocals

Technical

• Julian King – recording
• Glenn Meadows – mastering
• Lynn Peterzell – production, recording, mixing
• James Stroud – production

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions		Album
		US Country	CAN Country
1989	"She's Got a Man on Her Mind"	38	—	Slick Hick (unreleased)
1990	"You Saved Me"[9]	—	—
1992	"Hometown Radio"	59	66	Curtis Wright
1993	"If I Could Stop Lovin' You"	53	79
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

Year	Video
1993	"If I Could Stop Lovin' You"

References

1. Smith, Stephen (May 2, 2007). "Raise the Roof 5: Pure Prairie League Ready for Show". The Pilot. Archived from the original on August 17, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
2. Mansfield, Brian. "Curtis Wright Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved December 28, 2007.
3. Roland, Tom (1991). The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits. Billboard Books. p. 572. ISBN 0-8230-7553-2.
4. "New Artist Fact File" (PDF). Radio & Records: 56. December 1, 1989.
5. Lewis, Jim (February 21, 1990). "Record label can't release artist's song". The Bryan Times. UPI. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
6. "Shenandoah". Patterson & Associates. Archived from the original on February 1, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2007.
7. Bennett, Mark (May 2, 2007). "Shenandoah to perform at Fairbanks Park festival". Terre Haute Tribune-Star. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2007.
8. Curtis Wright (CD booklet). Curtis Wright. Liberty Records. 1992. CDP-7-97825-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
9. Richliano, Jim (November 18, 1989). "New on the charts" (PDF). Billboard. p. 48. Retrieved May 10, 2017.