The Grant Wright Band

The story

Assisted by Keith Smith, Grant assembled a line-up of musicians fronted by Grant with Keith on guitar, to play songs largely co-written by Grant and Keith, together with a few blues standards. Grant wanted heartfelt, emotional songs with autobiographical lyrics and a blues-rock/country rock sound. The versions of these songs, and others of different styles, were performed live and won over audiences on the London circuit. The Grant Wright Band had a changing line-up over the years for studio and live performances, including:

Bass – David Ezekiel; 
Drums – Kevin Davis; 
Lead and Slide Guitar – Corrado Diianni; 
Rhythm and Lead - Keith Smith;
Keyboards - Tim Brown;
Guitar - Alwyn Turner;
Lead Guitar - Alex Adinolfi;
Saxophone - Gabriel Giminiani;
Harmonica - Francis Bradbeer;
Backing vocals - Cheri Wright and Judy Gittings.

Hard Headed Man by The Grant Wright Band - LIVE

This track was recorded at the legendary Hare & Hounds in Islington, London in 1993.

This recording of the Robert Johnson's Crossroads was captured live in the rehearsal studio.

A live version of the classic blues song, written by Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, performed at The Standard, Blackhorse Road, London.

Stormy Monday by The Grant Wight Band - LIVE

Stormy Monday is a song written and recorded by American blues electric guitar pioneer T-Bone Walker.  This track was a firm favourite at Grant Wright Band gigs, as evidenced in this recording.


The track was recorded live at The Standard, Blackhorse Road, London in March 1996. The song was a crowd favourite, always getting a great reaction.

This track is recorded live at The Standard, Blackhorse Road, London on 9 March 1996.

A live performance from The Standard London recorded in 1996.

A live cut of the always popular Everybody's Talking. Recorded at The Standard, Blackhorse Road, London in March 1996.

The live version from 1996 of the atmospheric track, Her Tropical Storm. The recording was made at The Standard, Blackhorse Road in  London during a performance on 22 June.

This recording was made at The Standard in September 1996.

This live recording was made at one of several appearances made by The Grant Wright Band at The Standard in London.

This version of A Strong Man was recorded at a live gig at The Standard in London in 1996.

The Standard venue in London was one of the legendry music venues. In its long history it featured bands such as Suzi Quatro, Girls School, and Wilko Johnson Band.

This version of Freight Train is the full band recording and was a great crowd favourite at gigs.

This version is the full band recording of a track which was a crowd favourite.

This is the full band version of the track first recorded by Grant and Keith Smith.

The recording was made at The Standard, Blackhorse Road, London in March 1996.

This recording is the full band workout of the tune Running on Empty, which was a concert favourite and was recorded in different arrangements. 

Three Hours Past Midnight by 

This version of the blues classic, originally by Johnny 'Guitar' Watson was a standard in the Grant Wright Band set list.


Stormy Monday by 

The Grant Wright Band version of the T-Bone Walker classic, Stormy Monday.





Hard Headed Man by The Grant Wright Band

The Grant Wright Band performs an original song written by Grant.
 'This song,' Grant notes, 'has a country rock feel, and is about how in life everyone has periods of things going in their favour and then against them; and how that can quickly change. From optimism and love to struggle and pain, but when things are not going so well; keep trying, don’t give up, and work hard for that better day.'

Back Door Man by 

The blues classic best known from the versions by Willie Dixon and Howlin' Wolf is given the Grant Wright Band treatment.
Grant says: 'This version has Gabbi on saxophone which added a sound not usually associated with this great blues standard. I feel that this recording has a driving and powerful sound to it. 

Grant says that from the moment he heard the blues, it touched him in a deep way.

Everybody's Talking by The Grant Wright Band

The Grant Wright Band covers the classic song, taken from the film Midnight Cowboy.
Grant says of this song: ‘Everybody’s Talking is more than just a great song to me, as its lyrics create feelings of hope and optimism and reminds me of a favourite film of mine, Midnight Cowboy, where one of the themes of the film and lyrics of the song, is of a country boy new in town. I can relate to that. 
We knew it would be difficult to better the original but we hoped to capture some of the feeling of the original song and to add some further element of our own.’

A Strong Man by The Grant Wright Band

Grant wrote the lyrics, melody lines and other phrases which were worked on with Keith Smith and then presented to The Grant Wright Band for this recording.
The song is about how in a relationship, when times get tough, a strong man will do his best for all, and not run from difficulties, even if in the short term it makes him unpopular.

This track is recorded live at The Standard, Blackhorse Road, London in September 1996.

Her Tropical Storm by The Grant Wright Band

Tropical Storm, presented here is a  full band version recorded in the studio.