J.E. Wright

American born singer/songwriter & keyboard player and founding member of UK sixties rockers Spooky Tooth.
Born on April 26, 1943 in Cresskill, New Jersey, USA.
Died on September 4, 2023 in Palos Verdes Estates, California, USA.
Do not confuse with New York City based producer / mixer Gary Wright (3) (Gary Thomas Wright).
A former child actor, he performed on Broadway in the hit musical "Fanny" before studying medicine and then psychology in New York City and Berlin. In 1959, he made his first commercial recording, with Billy Markle, credited to Gary And Billy. After meeting Chris Blackwell (of Island Records) in Europe in 1967, het moved to London, where he formed Spooky Tooth. He also served as the band's principal songwriter on their recordings. His solo album "Footprint" in 1971 coincided with the formation of his short-lived band Wonderwheel (2). Wright made classic solo albums in the Seventies and became an in demand session musician with artists like George Harrison, Joe Cocker, Elton John, Steve Winwood as well as Busta Rhymes, Salt 'N' Pepa, Eminem and Joan Osborne. He worked with Jimmy Miller Productions, Inc. and Jimmy Miller as a producer after the break up of Spooky Tooth. He turned to film soundtrack work in the early 1980s. He produced his own and his son's albums.
He was married to Tina Wright. Brother of Lorna Wright, father of Justin Wright (4). He was the piano player on Splinter (2) - The Place I Love.