23 Facts About Denny Wright

Denys Justin Wright, known professionally as Denny Wright, was a British jazz guitarist.

Denny Wright led many bands, from small ensembles to night club bands to orchestras.

Denny Wright worked with Latin American and Jamaican bands, including Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists and Mike McKenzie's Quartet.

Denny Wright played with the Carl Barriteau orchestra, the Decca Records house band under Phil Green, and occasionally the Glenn Miller band.

Denny Wright was voted the 1980 BBC Jazz Society Musician of the Year.

Denny Wright was born in Deptford, London, and grew up in Brockley with frequent forays to the Old Kent Road and the Elephant and Castle.

Denny Wright's father was Joseph William Wright, a wireless telegraphist for the General Post Office who served with the Royal Engineers in the First World War.

Denny Wright's mother was Selina Elizabeth Stewart, who was born in Hampstead.

Denny Wright's older brother, Alex Wright, was a semi-professional guitarist before the war and Denny Wright, ten years younger, was trying to play his brother's guitar.

Denny Wright began playing professionally before the Second World War, while at school.

Denny Wright often sang along as he played a solo, as on Donegan's No 4 UK hit "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O", recorded in 1957.

Denny Wright spent the first part of the Second World War playing in jazz clubs in the West End of London, doing session work and performing in bands on radio shows.

Denny Wright worked with Grappelli for the first time in London around 1941.

At school Denny Wright served with the Auxiliary Fire Service in Brockley.

Denny Wright was classified medically unfit to serve due to a childhood injury in a road accident in 1930 that cost him his spleen and half of his liver.

Denny Wright joined the Entertainments National Service Association, entertained the troops, and at the end of the war was stationed in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.

From 1940 until the early 1980s Denny Wright worked as a session musician, playing guitar for Mary Hopkin, Dusty Springfield and Tom Jones.

Denny Wright worked extensively with folk singer Steve Benbow and the record company Rediffusion.

Denny Wright accompanied Grappelli at the Cambridge Folk Festival and for some years after.

Denny Wright played with the Hot Club of London across the UK, as well as at jazz festivals in Eindhoven, London, and Cork.

Denny Wright gave private lessons and at London comprehensive schools, and he lectured at the Royal College of Music on the life of a session musician.

Denny Wright died on 8 February 1992 in London after a nine-year battle with bladder cancer.

In 1980, Denny Wright was voted BBC Jazz Society Musician of the Year.