Brian F. Wright is Assistant Professor of Music History at the University of North Texas, where he teaches courses on popular music. He holds a Ph.D. in Historical Musicology from Case Western Reserve University and is a former research assistant at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Library and Archive.
Dr. Wright specializes in the history of American popular music. His current research focuses primarily on the early history of the electric bass in jazz, rock, rhythm & blues, and country music. This is the subject of his forthcoming book, The Bastard Instrument: A Cultural History of the Electric Bass, which will be published by the University of Michigan Press in July 2024 as part of their Tracking Pop series.
His other ongoing projects include a book on the Ventures’ early popularity in Japan and a journal article about the history of female electric bassists.
He can be reached at brian.wright@unt.edu
