Celebrating James “Big Jim” Wright
Today we celebrate the birthday of James “Big Jim” Wright, who passed away on September 29th, 2018.
James “Big Jim” Quentin Wright was born March 19th, 1966 in Rockford. The son of Jenniel Wright and Alan Jackson. James lived most of his life in Rockford, also living in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Rancho Cucamonga, California, Atlanta Georgia and Roscoe, IL.
You could find James playing at many local churches, while in the Midwest you could find him at, Wesleyan Baptist as a child; Bethel Baptist Church, Ephesian Baptist Church, Christ Tabernacle in Rockford, Jerusalem Baptist Church in Milwaukee, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in St. Paul, MN and he attended Church in California; with Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church Rockford, being his home church. He graduated from West High School class of 1984.
James was a music producer, arranger, composer/songwriter, film score, singer, performer and music director, as well as appearing on multiple reality and network television shows.
In the 1990s, Big Jim moved to Minneapolis and joined the gospel/R&B group Sounds of Blackness. He served as the group’s producer, arranger and composer for about five years. Among the members was fellow Rockfordian and lead singer and God sister Ann Nesby.
Wright was connected, through Nesby, with Terry Lewis — half of the iconic R&B duo that is Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam. Lewis offered Wright an exclusive publishing contract while he continued to provide lead vocals and keyboards for Sounds of Blackness.
Shortly after he started writing and producing a string of hits with the music production house dynasty. Big Jim (or Jimmy) was referred to as Flyte Tyme’s secret weapon. Big Jim has also been heavily involved in various Film & TV productions. Big Jim’s television work was bandleader for BET’s The Mo’nique Show, music supervisor/composer for BET’s Let’s Stay Together on BET, and music director/show producer for BET‘s Sunday Best (Reality Show).
Among his undertakings: a creative collaboration with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis in executive producing, writing, and scoring the Beyoncé Knowles and Cuba Gooding Jr. feature film, Fighting Temptation, the end title song “Definition of Love” performed by Deborah Cox from the film Akeelah and the Bee, “Ne Me Laisse Pas Seule Ici” and “Nobody Cares” for the soundtrack from the biographical and historical drama film Hotel Rwanda and the BET made for TV movie Let The Church Say Amen.
He won several awards throughout his career including: Grammy, ASCAP, NAACP, and DOVE awards. In 2006 Big Jim won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song for Yolanda Adams’ “Be Blessed,” and was nominated for Album Of The Year for his work on Mariah Carey’s 6x platinum album The Emancipation of Mimi. Mariah’s top selling album of 2005 contains 3 tracks produced by Wright including the inspirational hit “Fly Like A Bird,” which he co-wrote.
At the 50th Grammy Awards ceremony Big Jim accompanied Ricky Minor of The Tonight Show on the Hammond B3 organ during the explosive Gospel segment featuring The Queen of soul Aretha Franklin, The Clark Sisters, Israel & New Breed, BeBe Winans paying tribute. That same night picked up the Grammy for Best R&B Album with Chaka Khan’s come back album Funk This after a 15 year hiatus which contains the introspective single “Angel’ written by Chaka & Big Jim.
We will continue to miss the genius that was, Big Jim Wright. Sending our prayers to his wife, Brigitte; son Anthony and his daughter Danielle.
For more on the amazing discography of Big Jim, check out Discogs.
