CHARLES WRIGHT

After over thirty attempts by various artists, Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band, was the only act with the juice to break Warner Bro.'s Records into the lucrative R&B market. This feat they congenially accomplished with a string of trend setting hits like "Spreading Honey," "Do Your Thing," "'Til You Get Enough," "Love Land," "Your Love," "Solution For Pollution" and the ever unfolding master piece "Express Yourself." However prior to these successes, Wright, who is actually a living phenomenon, was already responsible for more than his share of gold, as a dowop singer and a studio musician.

Charles and the band's original version of "Express Yourself' has been revived time and time again by notable artists like Solo, NW A, Zapp/Rodger, Junior, Custard, Master P., Silkk da Shocker and others. As a prolific writer, Wright's catalogue has been utilized by Puff Daddy Combs, A Tribe Called Quest, Gang Starr, Brand Nubian, Funkidoobiest, KRS One, Malk De Koijn, Les McCan, Della Reese, Ray Charles and a growing number of others.

"Nike" shoes featured "Express Yourself' in their 1994-basketball season commercial. "Burger King" featured Wright and the song in their 1997 Whopper campaign. His version of "Express Yourself' was featured in The 1999 Lakers startup games. "Rhodes Furniture" chain is currently using Wright's version of "Express Yourself' for its national radio and television commercials. "Red Lobster" Canada is also currently featuring Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St. Band's version of "Express Yourself." "Kinko 's" is using Charles and "Express Yourself' in its national ad campaign. "Jergens Lotion is presently seeking authorization to use "Express Yourself' for its 2000-2001 international marketing campaign. "Express Yourself' is also currently serving as the sub-title, as well as the break theme for the 1999 "Jenny Jones Show. " In addition, it is the centerpiece of a campaign for the Bitburger Beer company in Germany for the soccer playoffs, and the 2000 championship games. Bitburger is also featuring the title in a contest; fans call in to express how they feel about their favorite soccer team. "Hanes Underwear for Children" is the most recent to jump on the "Express Yourself' bandwagon. "Hanes" is currently using the song in their 2000 promotion for children's underwear. It is therefore no small wonder; people are referring to Charles as "Mr. Express Yourself"
To top all of this, Wright, and his crew has recently released a new CD, a fourteen-song compilation of sixties style soul appropriately entitled "Going To The Party." M$M 2001-2/4. The CD's cover boasts, as its marketing slogan, "played by human beings, not by machines. "

Born in cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta, and relocated to California at the age of twelve. Charles became interested in music after his family moved to Los Angeles in the mid fifties. At sixteen, the ambitious youngster hooked up with West coast legend Jessie Belvin after hearing his recording of "One Little Blessing. " "That" says Wright, "ignited my soul with a desire to sing." He looked Belvin up in the phone book, then called the singer to tell him he wanted to sound exactly like him. According to Wright, Belvin cursed him out, admonished him to "find your own style boy and leave mine the f...k alone, " a piece of advice he obviously took seriously.


In due time however, Belvin took the youngster under his wing and taught him the ropes. Within a year's time, Charles wrote and performed "Eternally" as the featured vocalist with the Twilighters. The tune was released on a local label and to his astonishment, actually took Los Angeles by storm. Subsequently, Jessie Belvin began using him on other projects, one of which placed him in The Shields, whose version of "You Cheated" peaked at #12 on Billboard's top 100. After a short stint with the Gallahads whose recording of "Lonely Guy" peaked at #62, he took a job as A&R director for Delphi Records. There he produced Lil' Caesar and The Roman's top ten single "Those Oldie But Goodies (reminds me of you). "
At age nineteen he decided to start up his own band, a band which he fittingly named Charles Wright and the Wright-Sounds. This group consisted primarily of local musicians, some of whom also migrated to Los Angeles from other parts of the country. Included was Al McKay who eventually joined Earth Wind & Fire, Melvin Dunlap, James Gadson, Big John Rayford, Bill Cannon, Gabriel Flemings, Joe Banks, Daryl Dragon, of The Captain and Tennille duo, and Barry White. This group, save Dragon and White, would eventually become the "Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band."

In the meantime, Wright who was a self taught musician, went to LACC to study theory, and quickly developed into a popular session musician. One track from these sessions yielded the cut "Spreading Honey" which featured Bobby Womack, James Carmichael, and Leon Heywood. The track was actually created as a theme for the legendary, Magnificent Montague's radio shows. The tune eventually became so hot until it was necessary to released it as a single, hence the pseudonym "The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band." One day Bill Cosby, flanked by" Spreading Honey's" producer Fred Smith came into the studio, looking for musicians to play on his debut singing album.  As a result of that particular project, a contract with the Warner Bros. later ensued.
The rest of course is history.

As essayist John Morthland stated in his comprehensive liner notes which accompanied the groups 16 track Greatest Hits CD, ...Warner Bros. #(45306-2/4) "Wright and his crew were ultimately one of the most important and influential acts of their time Along with Sly and The Family Stone, they are responsible for ushering in the era of the self-contained funk bands "  The multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, writer, producer, arranger, and performer, say's he's thankful his music has stood the test of time, that its still as fresh today, as it was when he created it over a quarter century ago.  His original version of "Express Yourself' has also become a favorite title for motion picture sound tracks. The following are some of the movies the tune's been featured in: "Come Back Charleston Blue" 1972, "Cops And Robbersons" 1993, "The Addams Family Values" 1994, "Panther" 1995, "The People Versus Larry Flint" 1997, "Living Museum" 1999, and "Remember the Titans" 2000. The group's version of "Do Your Thing" was also featured at full length in "Boogie Nights" 1998.

As a self-motivated author Charles has written a vivid account of his own life and from all indications, it is most interesting. His story begins in the cotton fields of Mississippi, and eventually wounds its way through the intricate world of show business, Hollywood style. He say's the purpose of his book: "From Dowap to Hip Hop," is to portray an authentic perspective of the beginning of R&B and Rock & Roll as it pertains to the west coast.
The foundation Charles Wright built laid the groundwork for future Warner Brothers acts like Prince, Tower of Power, Earth Wind & Fire, Graham Central Station and many others. Thanks to Jessie Belvin, the Godfather of West Coast Dowop, you are still "Going To The Party" to "Express Yourself' with Charles "Mr. Express Yourself' Wright. He's exhilarating, live and definitely in living color!