Wright was born in Atlanta, Georgia.
There is uncertainty over his year of birth. He claimed to have been born in 1932, but the researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc have stated that he was born in 1918, on the basis of official records and a newspaper obituary; other sources suggest 1928.
As a child, Wright excelled at singing gospel music in his local church. In his youth, he worked as a dancer and as a female impersonator but developed as a singer when he began performing at Atlanta's 81 Theater.
The saxophonist Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams saw Wright's performance when the two shared a bill with Charles Brown and Wynonie Harris. Williams recommended him to Herman Lubinsky of Savoy Records.