Biography
Reverend Timothy Wright is no stranger to gospel music- in fact; he has become an anchor for gospel choirs across the country. His music is considered "Sunday Morning Ready" with a diverse array of traditional and contemporary gospel music. He is also the pastor and founder of the Grace Tabernacle Christian Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Rev. Wright first developed his talents at the St. John's Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God in Brooklyn, N.Y. In his spare time, he wrote poetry and began to play the piano at age 12. This would soon lead to him composing for the church's choir.
A pivotal moment is his budding career came in 1969 when he began playing the piano for the late Bishop F.D. Washington at the Washington Temple C.O.G.I.C. in Brooklyn, N.Y.. Through that association, he was selected as organist for the Rev. Isaac Douglas and the N.Y. community choir. With the exception of one, all the selections on Douglas' classic best-selling 1971 album, "Lets Go Higher", were written by Rev. Wright . This album was a landmark recording in the early development of contemporary choir sound.
In 1976, he founded the Timothy Wright Concert Choir. Some of the choir's award winning and best selling releases includes, Who's On The Lord's Side and Do You Know The Light. He has also recorded with choirs across the county. Of these recordings, his most memorable hits include: Troubles Don't Last Always, Master Can You Use Me and Yes I'm A Believer. In addition to this, he also recorded a Stellar Award winning project with Myrna Summers, entitled We're Gonna Make It. In fact, one of his projects, Come Thou Almighty King, which has garned national recognition, was recorded with a 500 voice choir, made up of New York's best gospel artists.
Without question, Timothy Wright proves once again that he is the "Godfather" of gospel music.
Notes: July 7, 2008
The Rev. Timothy Wright is slowly recovering from the car crash that injured him and killed his wife and grandson.
While the Rev. Timothy Wright, pastor of Grace Tabernacle Christian Center Church of God in Christ in Brooklyn, knows his grandson has died, he has not yet been told the fate of his wife and co-pastor, Betty Wright.
"He's holding on," said his son David Wright. The pastor suffered extensive injuries, including a broken jaw. "He's conscious. He can't talk, but he can nod his head."
Wright remained in critical condition yesterday at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa.
Another of the pastor's five sons Danny Wright -- whose own 14-year-old son D.J. died in the crash -- said his father has been asking for his wife. The family has pledged to wait to break the news until Wright is physically stronger.
The Wrights were returning from a religious convention in Detroit late on July 4 when their car was struck head-on by another car driving the wrong way on Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania.
D.J., who died from his injuries on Saturday night, had just graduated eighth grade from Roosevelt Middle School. He loved cooking and the Power Rangers, and he wanted to be a gospel singer like his grandfather.
"He was a perfect kid," said his mother, Lori Wright, before dissolving into tears. "Not an ounce of trouble. He loved gospel music, he loved all types of music. You couldn't ask for the more perfect child."
The trip to Detroit with his grandparents was a special graduation present for D.J., one of the couple's three sons, Danny Wright said.
"I never really let them away from us, but he wanted to go," Danny Wright said. He said he spoke to his son every day during the trip, and had just talked with him hours before the crash.
The next time he saw D.J., "he looked like himself, like he was just sleeping," Wright said. "He probably didn't even know what happened."
The Rev. Timothy Wright and his late wife Betty.
(Click to listen to some of Rev. Wright's music.)
UPDATE: Rev. Timothy Wright - July 17, 2008
Rev. Timothy Wright had a successful surgery and is responding well to treatment and therapies, a release by his son, David Wright, says on the gospel singer's myspace page.
Wright sustained numerous injuries in a July 4 weekend crash in which his wife Betty Wright and grandson D.J. Wright died.
The myspace page has a slightly different time than we just reported for the wake for Betty Wright and D.J. Wright Sunday, July 27. The page says it will begin at noon at their church, Grace Tabernacle Christian Center Church of God in Christ, 1745 Pacific St., Brooklyn.
The "Homegoing Celebration'' is the next day at 11 a.m. at Washington Temple COGIC, 1372 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn.
The internment will be at Greenfield Cemetery in Uniondale, N.Y.
In lieu of floral tributes, the family is asking for financial tributes, which can be sent to Rev. Timothy Wright, 15 Meyer St., Roosevelt, N.Y., 11575.
A collection of news and information related to Timothy Wright published by Tribune Company sources