Herman Wright was a jazz bassist from Detroit, Michigan and later resided in Harlem, New York City until his death.
He began on drums as a teen before ultimately settling on upright bass. He worked with Dorothy Ashby, Terry Gibbs, beat poet Allen Ginsberg, Yusef Lateef, George Shearing, Doug Watkins and on one occasion substituted Charles Mingus when the latter wanted to play piano. He can also be heard on Allen Ginsberg's Ginsberg Sings Blake.
He had three sons, Herman Wright Jr. (brass and woodwinds), Paris Wright (drums), and Dewayne Wright (piano).