Gary Wright, the musician known for his 1976 hit “Dream Weaver” and his major work on former Beatle George Harrison’s acclaimed solo album, has died at the age of 80. Gary Wright’s son, Justin Wright, said that the musician passed away on Monday morning at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California.
Gary had been battling Parkinson’s disease for nearly five to six years, and more recently, he had also been dealing with Lewy body dementia. Justin further mentioned that Gary’s Parkinson’s symptoms had significantly worsened over the past year, leading to a loss of his ability to speak or move effectively.
Death of a Legend
Justin also shared that the home nurses who had been providing care to his father had recently informed the family that Gary was approaching the end of his life.
Dorian, his other son, shared on Instagram that he was able to spend the morning sitting in a “lotus by” his ‘father’s side chanting and meditating for 2 hours.”
“As I chanted his last chant I watched him take his last earthly breath. Thank you dad for letting me help you leave your body for the Astral Plane!” he captioned a photo of his father’s The Dream Weaver album. “Jai Guru.”
After the news of his passing, tributes began flooding in online, with many people acknowledging his legacy and contributions to the world of music.
“It is with great sadness that I received the news of my dear friend Gary Wright’s passing,” singer Stephen Bishop posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Gary’s vibrant personality and exceptional talent made every moment together truly enjoyable. His legacy will live on for many years to come,” added Bishop.
“So sorry to hear about the passing of Gary Wright. He was one of the nicest rock stars I ever had the pleasure of interviewing, and he leaves behind a wonderful body of work. Condolences to his family, friends and fans,” radio personality, Andre Gardner, wrote on Twitter.
Leaving a Legacy
Gary had a background in acting as a child and even appeared in the Broadway production of “Fanny,” alongside future “Brady Bunch” star Florence Henderson. Later, Gary became a member of the English rock group Spooky Tooth and notably played the piano on George Harrison’s iconic album “All Things Must Pass.”
This collaboration with George Harrison marked the beginning of a lasting friendship between the two musicians. Gary would later write about this friendship and their experiences in his book titled “Dream Weaver: A Memoir; Music, Meditation, and My Friendship with George Harrison.”
“I always had a feeling that God existed and was helping me,” Wright said in a 2014 interview. “It wasn’t really defined clearly but I knew there was something there and it wasn’t until I met George Harrison that I started to really begin to delve deeply into spiritual life.”
As a solo artist, Gary achieved significant success with his songs “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive,” both of which reached the No. 2 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
“Dream Weaver” also stayed in the public consciousness with its use in the 1992 hit comedy “Wayne’s World.”
Gary re-recorded the song for the film.
In addition to his collaborations with George Harrison, Gary was a part of Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band, touring with the group in 2008, 2010, and 2011.
Gary was married twice during his life and had two children.
