Betty Wright - Live

Tonight Is The Night 'Live' (Part 1.)

Betty Wright - Live - Alston 4408 (1978)

Side A - Lovin' Is Really My Game; Tonight Is The Night; A Song For You

Side B - Clean Up Woman; Pillow Talk; You Got The Love; Mr. Melody; Midnight At The Oasis; Me & Mrs Jone; You are My Sunshine; Let's Get Married Today; You Can't See For Looking Up; Where Is The Love

What can you say about Betty Wright that has no already been written she is simply Miami's finest. The album opens with Brainstorm's Lovin' is Really My Game, witch was always one of the greatest 12" releases of the 70's, she also does Clean Up Woman, what an all-time guitar riff that was but the stand-out 8 minute track is a remake of Tonight Is The Night. It is supposed to be live but I doubt it as it is too clean-cut. Performing this song live for some years I think she had now (in 1978) got it down to a fine art. What stated out as just a nice single from 1974 is now performed to pure 8 mins perfection.



The great bass-line is provided by Michael Wilkerson and the new acid drum sound by Gregory Wilkerson (brothers?). This live cut is so popular even now 35 years later as used in Sheek Louch's rap song Good Love with a nice glocken over-dubbing the melody and also the R&B track Rock With Me getting Modern soul nite spins by Melissa Young, any others that you know?

+++ Melissa Young 'Rock With You'

(from the album 'Just Up The Road' on Sugashack 2007 - cdbaby)

Betty though was released as a TK 12" in 1979 and as a Alston 7' in 1974 (studio vers.) It was getting a few London spins in 1987 when it was put out again in the UK and pressed in France on Groove & Move. Most Alston copies I've heard crackle bad so a re-press was a better option for me. Betty in recent years has been given renewed interest due to her success with Joss Stone's debut LP. I've done three blogs on Miss B. and if your getting to like her, watch out because there is much more to come!

Respect to Ms. B. (& her Mom) & Miami.