Stephen Carlton “Stevie” Wright was born December 20, 1947, in Leeds, England, and died on December 27, 2015.
He was an Australian musician and songwriter.
He and his family migrated to Melbourne, Australia when he was 9 yrs old, they live at the Villawood Migrant Hostel.
Wright first ever band was ‘The Outlaws’ and by 1964 had formed Chris Langdon & the Langdells.
Then he met Johannes Hendrikus Jacob van den Berg (then became Harry Vanda) and Dingeman van der Sluys who later became Dick Diamonde, he met him in the same area he live in Australia, at the Villawood Migrant Hostel.
Both men wanted to be in a band the eventually convinced Stevie to form their own band along with Gordon “Snowy” Fleet, The Easybeats was born.
The singer has been called Australia’s first international pop star.
Stevie was lead singer of Sydney-based rock and roll band The Easybeats, from the year 1964–1969.
The band were co-written by Stevie with band mate George Young, including, “She’s So Fine” (No. 3, 1965), “Wedding Ring” (No. 7, 1965), “Women (Make You Feel Alright)” (No. 4, 1966), “Come and See Her” (No. 3, 1966), “I’ll Make You Happy” (track on Easyfever EP, No. 1, 1966), and “Sorry” (No. 1, 1966). He was lead vocalist on their only international hit “Friday on My Mind”, which peaked at No. 1 in Australia in 1966, it made No. 6 in the United Kingdom, the Top 10 in France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, and Top 20 in United States in 1967.
The Easybeats band was disbanded in 1969.
After the band broke up, Stevie formed “Rachette” back in Sydney.
Where he was successful with his hit single “Whole World Should Slow Down”, in the year 1970.
Stevie remained interested in music he has fronted numerous groups, including Stevie Wright Band and Stevie Wright & the Allstars; his solo career included the 1974 single, “Evie (Parts 1, 2 & 3)”, which peaked at No. 1 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart.
Stevie was known to have alcohol and drug addiction issues, and in his later years the addiction created many problems for his health and career.
Stevie was hospitalized 1976, where he was given methadone treatment and again in the 70’s at the Chelmsford Private Hospital by Dr Harry Bailey
Stevie Wright biography has much more detailed of Sorry: The Wretched Tale of Little Stevie Wright by Jack Marx (1999) and Hard Road: The Life and Times of Stevie Wright by Glenn Goldsmith (2004).
In July 2005, The Easybeats band, with Wright as a member, was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame alongside Renée Geyer, Hunters & Collectors, Smoky Dawson, Split Enz and Normie Rowe.
“Friday on My Mind”, One of the band song was voted the Best Australian Song of All Time by the Australasian Performing Rights Association.
Stevie Wright retired and lived on the South Coast of New South Wales.
Stevie Wright passed away at 68 years old.