1981 Gary Wright – I Really Want To Know You

1981 Gary Wright – I Really Want To Know You

Gary Wright grew up in New Jersey and had his first television at the ripe old age of seven on a television show that was filmed in New York City, Captain Video and His Video Rangers.

He studied keyboards and began playing in rock bands while in high school. He and Billy Markle recorded his first single for in 1960 for 20th Century Fox Records. The record company billed them as Gary and Billy; the single failed to chart nationally.

Gary studied to be a doctor, but put that career aside and joined the band Art. They changed their name to Spooky Tooth and recorded a few albums in the late sixties. He left the group to pursue a solo career in 1970. He signed with A&M and eventually recorded two unsuccessful albums for the label.

Gary worked on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album in 1970, the beginning of a long-term friendship with George. He not only played on all of George’s solo albums, but some other records that George produced (including two of Ringo’s hit singles).

From 1972 to 1974, Gary reformed Spooky Tooth. He then signed with Warner Brothers Records and returned to the studio, and recorded his third solo album. The album contained his two most successful singles. Dream Weaver and Love Is Alive each reached #2 on the Hot 100 in 1976. Dream Weaver also reached #14 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Gary toured with three keyboard players and a drummer to support the album. His shows helped popularize the use of synthesizers.

It would be five years before he again released a record popular enough to reach the top forty. In 1981, he co-wrote a song with Ali Thomson, I Really Want To Know You. The single peaked at #16, which became Gary’s last record to reach the Hot 100.

Gary’s first two hit records had different versions recorded later. Chaka Khan covered Love Is Alive on her 1984 album I Feel for You. Her version had a new title, My Love Is Alive.