Jackie Wilson!

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 15 Oct 2008 1:51 pm

Since getting an mp3 player to use at work I've gotten some intensive listening in----listening closely to cd's that didn't get much more than background play in the past. I've got a JW greatest hits cd that has gotten some heavy rotation lately. Man what an instrument (voice) the man had! Wow.
He is so good that he even redeems some arrangements that only Ward Cleaver could appreciate. "Come Back To Me" is one such song---extraordinary vocal tricks---he makes his voice sound like an r&b sax---with good rhythm section and solid guitar work and then the singers......I think the Lawrence Welk show rejected them as sounding too pale. Reminds me of the first time I heard Bird w/ Strings. Took me many listens (years ago) to get past my personal hangups about the context 'he ought to perform in'. Some of these Wilson treatments really make me grit my teeth. But he is so good that they work!
Makes me wonder if Wilson himself was responsible for this stuff, trying to 'go legit'.....break free from an r&b pigeonhole.
I wonder if there's stuff out there that takes better advantage of his brilliance (there is, for sure, some rocking and swinging stuff in the compilation).

Reading the AMG synopsis, I see that this observation (that he was poorly served by his material/arrangements) is sort of the conventional wisdom about the man.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 15 Oct 2008 7:33 pm

Jackie Wilson was the greatist Rock & Roll singer (and entertainer) of his ilk and his generation in my estimation. Name me someone better at what he did. James Brown was almost as good a dancer but had nowhere near the vocal chops. I had the great pleasure of spending an evening in a Cleveland hotel room with Mr Wilson way back in 1967 talking music and tipping a few back in my road days. Something I'll never forget. An humble and intelligent man as well.
"My heart is crying, crying....."

Dayna Wills · Post by **Dayna Wills** » 15 Oct 2008 9:00 pm

One of my faves. I had every album he recorded until about 1967. I met him in Lake Tahoe once. Went to see his show. He didn't sing any of his high notes. Later, I saw him walking through the casino. I never bother any artist, but I just HAD to meet him. He was very gracious. I asked him about the high notes and he said that Tahoe robbed his high notes and Vegas robbed his low notes. I think his version of Danny Boy is really a lesson in vocal control. He had such an ear for the chord changes and the scales. Plus, he really was Mr. Excitement.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 15 Oct 2008 11:16 pm

Amen Michael:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Epev3esC ... re=related

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 16 Oct 2008 1:41 pm

When the other teens were groovin' on good-lookin' white kids (who couldn't sing very well), I was enjoying Jackie Wilson, Gene McDaniels, Sam Cooke, Ben E. King, and a host of others who could sing their tails off. There was lot's of good black rock singers in the '50s and '60s, but none better than Jackie Wilson.

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 16 Oct 2008 2:32 pm

JW was incredible!! Only Little Richard could match his vocals.
That was Billy Preston on the Hammond?