Michelle Wright – Do Right By Me (1988)

Artist : Michelle Wright
Home : Merlin  Ontario Canada
Release Title : Do Right By Me
Music Style : Country
Date : 1988
Recording credits – 1988 Savannah

The Scoop : Wright grew up in Merlin, Ontario and began playing guitar at age 13. During her high school years she was the rhythm guitarist/singer in the band The Marquis, and played in the Melody Ramblers from Chatham.. Following graduation she struck out on her own playing clubs and touring for two years in the United States.

    In 1983 she returned to Canada and won a country music singing competition held in Sudbury, Ontario winning first prize over a competition of 100 people. Soon after she appeared on The Tommy Hunter Show but live performing was in her blood and she soon joined John McCabe And Utah to tour Ontario and Western Canada.

    After the split of the band in mid-1984, she decided to assemble her own group, Drivin’ Wheel, and toured Canada on her own.

    Soon she hooked up with Brian Ferriman of Supervision Management who sent her to two years of steady festivals, fairs and opening slots for some of Canada’s most prestigious country acts in Canada. One fateful gig was at the Maxville, Ontario Music Festival where she hooked up with songwriters Rick Giles and Steve Bogard who convinced here that she needed to get her act together in Nashville. They spent two weeks recording and the result was a three song demo.

    In February 1986 Wright won the CJBX-FM Country Roads Talent Contest in London, Ontario which raised the remainder of the funds for her to finish her recording project. Giles and Bogard flew to Toronto and produced new versions of her three demos and Savannah Records released the first single, “I Want To Count On You” in June of 1986 to critical and chart raves. It helped land her the coveted nomination of Rising Star Of 1986 from the Canadian Country Music Association.

    In early 1987 Savannah released a second single, “New Fool At An Old Game” which went Top-20 across Canada. This encouragement, along with a fistful of new Giles/Bogard tunes led Wright back into the studio to record her debut album ‘Do Right By Me’.

    The album spawned several more singles and it wasn’t long before Arista Records in Nashville flew to Toronto to catch her showcase at the Diamond Club at which time she was offered a US recording contract.
 

Track Listing.
1 The Rhythm Of Romance   2 Do Right By Me   3 I Want To Count On You   4 I Wish I Were Only Lonely   5 A Good Man Is Hard To Find    6 Rock Me Gently   7 New Fool At An Old Game   8 With A Love Like Yours   9 I Don’t Want To Wonder   10 Reaching For The Stars  

 

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