Dick was one-in-a-million. A serene, gentle man who was not only a doting husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was also an internationally-known jazz expert and Professor Emeritus at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS, home of the Jayhawks. He was born to Thomas Francis and Winifred Margaret Wright. He began teaching at KU in 1970 and in 1960 he started his weekly show, "The Jazz Scene". He loved teaching to such an extent that he once turned down a job at the Metropolitan Opera after auditioning for them. He had incredible vocal prowess. Dick earned a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in voice and sang at over 300 weddings and funerals in Lawrence, Topeka and Kansas City. He was an Associate Professor of Music History at KU and also taught classes at Baker University, Johnson County Community College and Washburn University. He was the founder of the KU AudioReader Network and was posthumously honored by them with the Dick Wright Legacy Society. He was the curator of the KU Jazz Archives and donated over 20,000 jazz records to the KU Sound Archives. He was a member of The National Association of Jazz Educators, The Kansas City Jazz Ambassador and the Musicians Protective Union Local No. 512. He was a member of Kansas City, Mo. Mayor Richard Berkeley's Jazz Commission and its Jazz Consultant for Younger Audiences. He was on the music panel of the Kansas Arts Commission and a board member of the Friends of Jazz and The Topeka Jazz Workshop. He hosted the Jazz Scene at KU, Jazz Talk for the Folly Theatre Jazz Series and was emcee for the T.J.W. Series and the KU Jazz Band and Singers. His awards included *The Governor's Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement, the highest state award given (1996). *Charlie Parker Memorial Foundation Jazz Appreciation Award. *International Jazz Association Educators-First Past President's Choice Award. *Topeka Jazz Workshop Award. *K.C. Jazz Heritage Award. *Chancellor's Club Career Teaching Award. *Ray Nichols Outstanding Educator Award. *Elder Statesman of K.C. Jazz. *The Music and Dance of Kansas University Lifetime Service Award. The Dick Wright Scholarship for Jazz Educators was set posthumously and awards a student with a check at every KU Jazz Festival. His biggest joy in life was his family and friends, to which he was extremely loyal, gentle and loving. He is survived by his beloved wife of 46 years, Maxine, his three daughters, Kathleen, Colleen and Eileen, his three sons, Kevin, Brian and Shawn, his mother, Winifred "Peg" Wright, his nine grandchildren, Nicole Smith, Jessica Genz and Michael Wright (children of Kevin and Jackie Wright), Amy Wright, Alyssa Wright (children of Brian Wright), Travis Ice, Katie Ice (children of Mark and Colleen Ice), Ryan Gillihan, Jordan Gillihan (children of Mark and Kathleen Gillihan) and his one great-grandchild, Mia Smith (daughter of Nicole and Justin Smith). (Many special thanks to Dick's daughter, Eileen Wright Cooper, for all the great information she supplied.)
Dick was one-in-a-million. A serene, gentle man who was not only a doting husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was also an internationally-known jazz expert and Professor Emeritus at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS, home of the Jayhawks. He was born to Thomas Francis and Winifred Margaret Wright. He began teaching at KU in 1970 and in 1960 he started his weekly show, "The Jazz Scene". He loved teaching to such an extent that he once turned down a job at the Metropolitan Opera after auditioning for them. He had incredible vocal prowess. Dick earned a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in voice and sang at over 300 weddings and funerals in Lawrence, Topeka and Kansas City. He was an Associate Professor of Music History at KU and also taught classes at Baker University, Johnson County Community College and Washburn University. He was the founder of the KU AudioReader Network and was posthumously honored by them with the Dick Wright Legacy Society. He was the curator of the KU Jazz Archives and donated over 20,000 jazz records to the KU Sound Archives. He was a member of The National Association of Jazz Educators, The Kansas City Jazz Ambassador and the Musicians Protective Union Local No. 512. He was a member of Kansas City, Mo. Mayor Richard Berkeley's Jazz Commission and its Jazz Consultant for Younger Audiences. He was on the music panel of the Kansas Arts Commission and a board member of the Friends of Jazz and The Topeka Jazz Workshop. He hosted the Jazz Scene at KU, Jazz Talk for the Folly Theatre Jazz Series and was emcee for the T.J.W. Series and the KU Jazz Band and Singers. His awards included *The Governor's Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement, the highest state award given (1996). *Charlie Parker Memorial Foundation Jazz Appreciation Award. *International Jazz Association Educators-First Past President's Choice Award. *Topeka Jazz Workshop Award. *K.C. Jazz Heritage Award. *Chancellor's Club Career Teaching Award. *Ray Nichols Outstanding Educator Award. *Elder Statesman of K.C. Jazz. *The Music and Dance of Kansas University Lifetime Service Award. The Dick Wright Scholarship for Jazz Educators was set posthumously and awards a student with a check at every KU Jazz Festival. His biggest joy in life was his family and friends, to which he was extremely loyal, gentle and loving. He is survived by his beloved wife of 46 years, Maxine, his three daughters, Kathleen, Colleen and Eileen, his three sons, Kevin, Brian and Shawn, his mother, Winifred "Peg" Wright, his nine grandchildren, Nicole Smith, Jessica Genz and Michael Wright (children of Kevin and Jackie Wright), Amy Wright, Alyssa Wright (children of Brian Wright), Travis Ice, Katie Ice (children of Mark and Colleen Ice), Ryan Gillihan, Jordan Gillihan (children of Mark and Kathleen Gillihan) and his one great-grandchild, Mia Smith (daughter of Nicole and Justin Smith). (Many special thanks to Dick's daughter, Eileen Wright Cooper, for all the great information she supplied.)
