O.V. Wright

Overton Vertis "O. V." Wright (October 9, 1939 – November 16, 1980) was an American singer who is generally regarded as a blues artist by African-American fans in the Deep South; he is also regarded as one of Southern soul's most authoritative and individual artists. His best known songs include "That's How Strong My Love Is" (1964), "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" (1965), "Nucleus of Soul" (1968), "A Nickel and a Nail" (1971), "I Can't Take It" (1971) and "Ace of Spades" (1971).
Born in Lenow, Tennessee, Wright began singing in the church as a youngster. In 1956, while still in high school, he joined The Sunset Travelers as one of the lead singers of the gospel group. He later fronted a gospel music group, the Harmony Echoes. It was during this time that he was discovered (along with James Carr) by Roosevelt Jamison, a songwriter and manager. Their first pop recording in 1964 was "That's How Strong My Love Is," a ballad later covered by Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones. It was issued on Goldwax, the label Wright signed to after leaving his gospel career. It was later determined that Don Robey still had him under a recording contract, due to his gospel group having recorded for Peacock. After his contract was shifted to Don Robey's Back Beat label, further R&B hits followed. Working with record producer Willie Mitchell, success continued on songs including "Ace of Spades" and "A Nickel and a Nail".
Wright's hits were much more popular in the deep South. His biggest hits were "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" (R&B #6, 1965), "Eight Men, Four Women" (R&B #4, 1967) "Ace of Spades" (R&B #11, 1970), "A Nickel and a Nail" (R&B #19, 1971). The remainder of his 17 hits charted no higher than #20 on the R&B charts.
Wright was imprisoned for narcotics offenses during the mid-1970s, and, despite a new recording contract with Hi Records that led to a series of new album releases, commercial success did not follow his release from incarceration. Wright continued to battle drug addiction in the last years of his life, and in 1980, he died from a heart attack in Mobile, Alabama, at the age of 41.
== Links to Peel ==
Peel was a major fan of the singer's music and seemed to have first played the artist in the 70's according to available tracklistings. He nominated the singer's album, Nucleus Of Soul, as one of the three albums that people should listen to on his Sounds Playlist two weeks in a row, in November 1973. 
Peel would often play the artist materials, from new compilation albums, which featured soul singers from a certain period of time and once on his 02 February 1991 show, dedicate an O.V. Wright medley to his wife, Sheila.
Peel mentioned in the Observer, published on 23rd February 2003, that O.V. Wright's Let's Straighten It Out, which was listed on Nick Hornby's 31 Songs book, that was reviewed by JP, was one of his favourite songs. 
After Peel's death in 2004, it was later found, that he had kept O.V. Wright's single, That's How Strong My Love Is / There Goes My Used To Be, in his Record Box, which contained 142 singles.
== Shows Played ==
;thumb|220x220px1973
*25 October 1973: Why Not Give Me A Chance? (album - Nucleus Of Soul) Backbeat 
*01 November 1973: I'll Take Care Of You (album - Nucleus Of Soul) Backbeat 
*13 November 1973: I Have None (album - Nucleus Of Soul) Back Beat
*22 November 1973: I'll Hate Myself Tomorrow (album - Nucleus Of Soul) Backbeat
;1974
*17 January 1974: Eight Men, Four Women (LP - A Nickel And A Nail And Ace Of Spades) Backbeat (JP:"I think that’s as true today as it was then”)
;1977
*22 November 1977: 3 tracks from album - Memphis Unlimited
;1980
*15 January 1980: Afflicted (album - A Nickel & A Nail & The Ace of Spades) Back Beat
*23 January 1980: Don't Take It Away (LP - A Nickel & A Nail & The Ace Of Spades) Back Beat
*26 January 1980 (BFBS): Afflicted (7" - Ace Of Spade) Back Beat 
*04 February 1980: Why Not Give Me A Chance (LP - Nucleus Of Soul) Back Beat
*06 February 1980: This Hurt Is Real (album - Nucleus of Soul) Back Beat
*09 February 1980 (BFBS): This Hurt Is Real (album - Nucleus of Soul) Back Beat
;1982
*06 June 1982 (BFBS): That's How Strong My Love Is
*11 August 1982: That's How Strong My Love Is
;1983
*18 May 1983: Poor Boy (album - Gone For Good) Charly
*14 June 1983: Bachelor's Blues (album - Gone For Good) Charlie
*13 July 1983 (BFBS) (with the Keys): That's How Strong My Love Is (7") Goldwax
*24 September 1983 (BFBS): Eight Men, Four Women
;1988
*24 May 1988: Afflicted (v/a LP - The Deep South) Kent
*14 June 1988: Afflicted (v/a LP - The Deep South) Kent
;1989
*06 April 1989: I Was Born All Over (LP - Here's Another Thing) Charly R&B
*17 April 1989: Heartaches - Heartaches (album - Here's Another Thing) Charly R&B
*03 May 1989: Nobody But You (album - Here's Another Thing) Charly
;1991
*02 February 1991: Medley: God Bless Our Love, When A Man Loves A Woman, That's How Strong My Love Is (album - That's How Strong My Love Is) Hi
*30 March 1991: I Don't Do Windows (CD album - That's How Strong My Love Is) Hi
;1997
*18 November 1997: A Nickel And A Nail (album - A Nickel & A Nail & The Ace Of Spades) Backbeat
*20 November 1997 (BFBS): 'Eight Men, Four Women (7")' (London)
;1999
*03 January 1999 (BFBS): 'He's My Son (Just The Same) (Compilation CD-Down & Out - The Sad Soul Of The Black South)' (Trikont)
;2004
*05 May 2004 (with the Keys): That's How Strong My Love Is (Various LP - Kent's Cellar of Soul) Kent
*May 2004 (FSK): That's How Strong My Love Is (Various LP - Kent's Cellar of Soul) Kent
*14 May 2004 (BBC World Service) (with the Keys): That's How Strong My Love Is (Various LP - Kent's Cellar of Soul) Kent
== External Links ==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
*Official Website
Category:Artists