Syreeta Wright (born Rita Wright, August 3, 1946 - July 6, 2004) was a Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter, known for her collaborations with Stevie Wonder and Billy Preston. Her career spanned from working behind the scenes at Motown to achieving international success as a vocalist and songwriter.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Rita Wright was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1946, and began singing at the age of four. Her father's death during the Korean War led her mother, Essie, and grandmother to raise her and her two sisters, Yvonne and Kim. The family moved between Detroit and South Carolina before settling in Detroit as Wright entered high school. Financial constraints prevented her from pursuing ballet, so she focused on music, joining singing groups before landing a job as a receptionist at Motown in 1965.
Within a year, she became a secretary for Mickey Stevenson. Edward Holland noticed Wright's singing and used her for demos of Supremes songs. Berry Gordy shortened her name to "Rita," and she released her first solo single, "I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel for You," in January 1968. The song, initially written for the Supremes, became a hit in the United Kingdom, where Wright would later find success.
Wright also performed demo vocals for the Supremes' hit "Love Child" and Diana Ross's "Something's On My Mind." When Diana Ross left the Supremes in 1970, Gordy considered replacing her with Wright but instead offered the spot to Jean Terrell. Some claim that Gordy tried to replace Terrell with Wright, but Mary Wilson vetoed it. Wright sang background on records by the Supremes and Martha and the Vandellas, notably the chorus of "I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing."
Collaboration and Marriage with Stevie Wonder
Wright met Stevie Wonder in 1968, and they began dating the following year. On Wonder's advice, Wright became a songwriter. Their first collaboration, "It's a Shame," was recorded by The Spinners in 1969 and released in July 1970, reaching number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. Wright also sang background for Wonder, notably on "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)," which she co-wrote.
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In September 1970, Wright, 24, and Wonder, 20, married in Detroit. They wrote and arranged songs for Wonder's Where I'm Coming From, released in 1971. The Wonder-Wright composition "If You Really Love Me" reached number 8 in the US that year, featuring Wright's background vocals.
In 1971, after Wonder's exit from Motown, the couple moved to New York, where Wonder worked on two independent albums.
Solo Career and Album Releases
Wonder returned to Motown in 1972, gaining creative control and establishing Black Bull Productions. Wonder and Wright contributed songs to Wonder's Music of My Mind. After touring with The Rolling Stones in 1972, Wonder released Talking Book, his breakthrough album.
Wright decided to return to her singing career. Motown reassigned her to MoWest, its L.A.-based subsidiary. Wright and Wonder divorced in the summer of 1972 after 18 months of marriage. Wonder oversaw the production of Wright's first solo album, Syreeta, which included her version of Wonder's "I Love Every Little Thing About You," the Smokey Robinson classic "What Love Has Joined Together," and The Beatles' "She's Leaving Home," featuring Wonder and Wright on background vocals. MoWest issued "I Love Every Little Thing About You" in 1972, but it failed to chart.
Material from Syreeta and Wonder's Talking Book were considered autobiographical due to the rise and fall of their marriage. Following Minnie Riperton's Perfect Angel, which Wonder produced, he wanted to present Wright as a sensual vocalist. Riperton added background vocals to "Heavy Day." The album yielded the UK singles "I'm Goin' Left," "Spinnin' and Spinnin'," and "Your Kiss is Sweet," which reached number 12 in 1975. The album also featured a duet with G. C. Cameron. The duo released the duet album Rich Love, Poor Love in 1977.
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Production on Wright's third album, One to One, lasted two years. The album featured Wonder's production, "Harmour Love," and was mainly produced by Leon Ware.
Collaboration with Billy Preston and Later Career
Wright met Billy Preston, who had signed with Motown in 1979. Motown assigned them to collaborate on a pop ballad for the movie Fast Break. Wright and Preston provided the soundtrack, and their first collaboration, "With You I'm Born Again," became an international hit, reaching number-four in the US and number-two in the UK in 1979. The song's success led Motown to renew Wright's contract.
Wright and Preston continued their collaborations until 1982. Wright worked with Wonder during this period, singing lead vocals for "Come Back as a Flower" for Journey through the Secret Life of Plants and singing alongside Wonder on "As If You Read My Mind" for his Hotter than July album in 1980. 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 self-titled album in 1980 and Set My Love in Motion in 1981. She added vocals to the theme song for the Canadian slasher-horror flick Happy Birthday to Me. The album featured the minor R&B hit "Quick Slick," which peaked at number 41 R&B in 1982. Wright then issued The Spell in 1983 and left Motown two years later after collaborating with Smokey Robinson for the soundtrack to Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon in 1985. Wright briefly recorded for Motorcity Records before retiring from show business in the mid-1990s and settling in Los Angeles with her four children.
Later Years and Personal Life
In 1993, she joined the national touring cast of Jesus Christ Superstar as Mary Magdalene, alongside Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson. She stayed in the cast until 1995.
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Wright was married three times. Her first marriage, to Stevie Wonder, lasted 18 months between 1970 and 1972. Her marriage to bassist Curtis Robertson Jr was also short-lived. Wright briefly lived in Ethiopia in the mid-1970s, working as a Transcendental Meditation teacher. She eventually settled in Los Angeles, where she lived for the rest of her life.
Menopause and Management
Like other changes in the body, menopause is not something that suddenly happens but is part of a slow transition. There are three stages to the menopausal transition: Perimenopause, Menopause, and Postmenopause. The first stage is perimenopause, which happens before your menstrual cycle stops. Your hormone levels begin to shift during this time. Your period may differ from what you’re used to, both in terms of duration and flow. You are considered in menopause when you have not had a period for a year, including no bleeding or spotting. Many people experience this around age 51. The last phase of this transition is called postmenopause. You will no longer produce estrogen at this point and no longer be able to get pregnant.
Menopause can be different for everyone. Some people only have mild symptoms, while others have more intense experiences. Your provider can help you manage your discomfort and minimize disruption to your daily life. Some of the most common symptoms of menopause include irregular periods, including spotting between periods, hot flashes, vaginal and bladder problems, hair thinning, joint aches, and sleep issues. Your provider can determine the cause of these symptoms via blood tests, thyroid testing, or a physical exam. This can confirm if you are in menopause or if something else is going on.
There are medications, procedures, and lifestyle changes you can make to manage symptoms of menopause. Your provider can help you find the best options that relieve your symptoms based on your medical history and lifestyle. Your provider may recommend Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) to help reduce your symptoms. MHT gives you the two hormones your ovaries used to produce estrogen and progesterone. If MHT isn’t right for you, other medication options target specific symptoms. Some lifestyle changes may help reduce the symptoms of menopause. For example, soy and other supplements in your diet can help reduce the severity and timing of hot flashes and other symptoms. Vaginal lubricants and moisturizers used during sex can help reduce vaginal dryness.
If you’re experiencing vaginal dryness and discomfort, your provider may recommend a procedure called energy-based vaginal rejuvenation. These therapies use laser or other energy technologies to deliver treatment to your vaginal wall tissue, helping to relieve symptoms and improve comfort. Typically, three sessions are recommended, though many people begin to experience relief after the first session. Our in-office healthcare team will perform your treatment, and since there is no anesthesia required, you can return to your normal activities quickly.
Menopause is an adjustment for many people; you don’t have to sit with the discomfort alone. Your UWH of the Carolinas provider can help you find relief from menopausal symptoms and provide you with any support you need during this transition.