Charles Wright was at the helm of the famed Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, which brought funk to the front of the music scene in the 1960s and ‘70s through the release of nine albums between 1967 and 1975. Wright was the lead vocalist of the group, which is best known for the hit single "Express Yourself" and is a living funk legend.

The Clarksdale, MS native was a singer, pianist and guitarist before recruiting eight members of what would become Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band from the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles. Originally known as the Soul Runners, the group got a head start when famed comedian Bill Cosby asked them to play at his gigs. Charles Wright and his band signed with Keyman in 1967 but moved to Warner Bros. in 1969. Although Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band scored Top 20 R&B hits with "Do Your Thing" and "Till You Get Enough," it is "Express Yourself" that the funk group is best known for. The song's nimble request for freedom was similar to the Isly Brothers ‘60s hit "It's Your Thing," and "Express Yourself" remains a heavily sampled funk song for rap and hip-hop groups to this day. In 1988 Dr. Dre remixed "Express Yourself" for the popular rap group N.W.A. and the song has also made several film appearances.

Wright and his band released their last R&B hit, "Your Love (Means Everything to Me)" in 1971 but continued to record for Dunhill until disbanding in 1973. Drummer James Gadson and guitarist Al McKay of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band went on to join Earth, Wind & Fire. In 1998 Charles Wright and his Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band released an album after years apart. Going to the Party was the last of the group's recordings together, although several compilation albums have been released. Charles Wright has enjoyed a successful solo career, releasing a string of solo albums well into the new millennium.