From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Sun Jun 9, 2002  2:15 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Jackie Wilson
 
JACKIE WILSON (By Shaun Mather)

Born 9 June 1934, Detroit, Michigan
Died 21 January 1984, Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Jackie Wilson was an immensely influential singer who bridged the gap
between 50's rhythm and blues and 60's soul, thanks to some vocal gymnastics
and one of rock's greatest stage shows. A dynamic mover, he oozed sex
appeal and draws many parallels with Elvis Presley, none the least of which
was the disappointing way they could sometimes waste their voices on
average material.
He made his mark in 1953 when he replaced Clyde McPhatter as lead singer in
Billy Ward's Dominoes, although his time with them wasn't the group's most
successful. Elvis witnessed them in Las Vegas and was mesmerized by
Wilson's antics. Wilson left the group and went solo in 1957, recording a
series of classics for the Brunswick label in a rock 'n' roll style, Reet Petite
(# 62 USA, # 6 UK), To Be Loved (# 22), Lonely Teardrops (# 7), That's Why
(I Love You So) (# 13), and I'll Be Satisfied (# 20).
As the 60's progressed he developed a harder, more soulful appraoch, fusing
elements of gospel, pop and even moments of operatic excess, like Night (# 4)
and Alone At Last (# 8), based on Saint-Saens and Tchaikovsky respectively.
He scored more hits with - among many others - Baby Workout (# 5 in 1963),
No Pity (In the Naked City), Whispers and Higher And Higher (# 6 in 1967)
and continually tried new things on his many albums, not always with great
results.
Whilst performing on a Dick Clark oldies show at the Latin Casino in New
Jersey in September 1975, Jackie Wilson suffered a heart attack on-stage
whilst singing Lonely Teardrops. He lapsed into a coma, suffering major
brain damage, and was hospitalized until his death over eight years later.

Recommended listening;
He's So Fine/Lonely Teardrops - Edsel
Baby Workout/Something Else - Edsel.
So Much/Jackie SIngs The Blues - Edsel.
Recommended reading:
Tony Douglas, Jackie Wilson - The Man, The Music, The Mob. Edinburgh:
Mainsteam, 2001. (Tony Douglas also wrote: Lonely Teardrops : the Jackie
Wilson Story. London : Sanctuary, 1997.)
More info: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/DYaros/jwilson.htm