The Woody Wright Singers (circa 1973) On a flat-bed truck in a bank parking lot, WECO radio in Wartburg, TN hosted a local talent contest. The winners would receive a two-sided single recording from Cumberland Records in Oliver Springs, TN. Elaine Baker, Gina Gill and myself had been singing with the Cedar Grove Baptist Church Youth Choir in Kingston, TN. After we won that contest, Gary Prim became our piano player. For the next three high school years, the four of us, along with Elaine's brother Tommy Baker on drums and Dennis Watkins playing bass, sang anywhere we could get ourselves invited. My parents bought an 8 passenger station wagon to drag us and our trailer full of sound equipment through the southern states. Woody Sr. loaned us the money (and we always recouped, I might add) to record three albums after the contest single. The last two were produced by a new kid on the Nashville scene; Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys. The Oaks band provided the tracks, and we were in heaven! Gary, Elaine and Gina graduated in 74, Tommy and I did in 75, and Dennis in 76. The WWS fell apart when Gary moved to Nashville and the girls started college so Tommy and I joined the Scenicland Boys in Chattanooga. Previous | Next