Music
Syreeta Wright
1946–2004 · singer, songwriter
Detroit-raised singer who went from Motown receptionist to co-writing "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and "It's a Shame" with Stevie Wonder, and later sang "With You I'm Born Again".
- Born
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania- Died
Los Angeles, California
aged 58- Birth name
- Rita Wright
- Also known as
- Syreeta · Rita Wright
- Detroit years
- early 1960s–early 1970s
- Field
- Music
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Born in Pittsburgh, Wright moved between Detroit and South Carolina as a child and settled in Detroit as she entered high school. Money kept her from ballet, so she sang with local groups and in 1965 took a job as a receptionist at Motown, becoming Mickey Stevenson's secretary within a year, as Martha Reeves had before her. Brian Holland produced her first single, released as Rita Wright, and she sang demo vocals for the Supremes, including "Love Child"; Berry Gordy briefly considered her to replace Diana Ross. She met Stevie Wonder in 1968, and on his advice started writing: their songs include the Spinners' "It's a Shame" and Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours". They married in 1970 and divorced in 1972. Wonder produced her first albums; in 1979 her duet with Billy Preston, "With You I'm Born Again", became an international hit.
Highlights
- Started at Motown as a receptionist in 1965
- Co-wrote "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" and "It's a Shame"
- Sang demo vocals for the Supremes' "Love Child"
- "With You I'm Born Again" (1979) with Billy Preston: No. 4 US, No. 2 UK
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Worked here · 1965–1970
Motown Museum
She worked at Motown's front desk and as Mickey Stevenson's secretary, then recorded here.