Stretch Of Liberty City Named In Honor Of Late Grammy Award-Winning Soul Singer Betty Wright

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A lasting tribute unveiled Monday for the late Grammy Award-winning soul singer Betty Wright.

A 5-block stretch of NW 14 Avenue in Liberty City was renamed "Betty Wright Lane."

The Liberty City native was recognized not only for her musical legacy but also her civic contributions.

"Had there not been a Betty Wright, whether or not there'd be a J.Lo or whether or not there'd be so many other household names that we've come to grow in love and listen to," said Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and the unveiling. "But the beauty of it was, she was a Miami product – born and raised in Liberty City."

For Ted Lucas, president and CEO of Slip-N-Slide records, Wright was a trendsetting icon who made Miami music shine before anyone else.

"I don't know nobody who put Miami music on the map before Betty Wright put it on a map. She set the trend. She opened the door," he said.

Wright's daughter Namphuyo Aisha said her mother was an inspiration for others, and never forgot her hometown.

"When I think my mother, I think of the way she lived her life. My mother was magic. And she showed everybody that they had it inside of them," she said. "She loved Miami, Miami loved her. And she gave and she gave and Miami gave her. And she is the proof that we have that no matter where you come from, and that no matter what you don't have, you can accomplish anything and you can inspire the world to accomplish anything, and she did that."

"I'm so pleased today that her name will be remembered for years to come. Everybody that rides by, even if they don't know her, they feel a little bit of that magic that we all felt when she was here," Aisha added.