Soul legend Wilson Pickett died Thursday, January 19, 2006, of a
heart attack in a Reston, Virginia hospital in a statement put out by his
management company, Talent Source. Best known for hits "Mustang Sally" and "In
the Midnight Hour," Mr. Pickett had been a resident of Ashburn , Virginia and
was reported to have suffered recent health problems. Mr. Pickett was 64.
Dubbed "Wicked Wilson Pickett, he shot to stardom in the 1960s, with "In the
Midnight Hour" and "Mustang Sally" both making the top 25 on the Billboard pop
charts. Pickett, born in Alabama to a large, poor household, began singing
gospel in church, but moved to Detroit as a teen. In Detroit, the young Pickett
found his calling and fame singing vocals on the 1962 hit "I Found a Love" with
the R&B group the Falcons.
He launched a solo career in 1963, teaming up with producer Jerry Wexler and the
famous soul label Stax Record in Memphis, Tennessee , recording "In the Midnight
Hour" for Atlantic Records. Other hits to follow included "Funky Broadway," "634-5789" and "Don't Knock My Love." His rough passionate delivery and song
writing skills set him apart from the smoother, silkier Motown sound.
Despite some brushes with the law and some hard times in the 1990s, including
assault and drunken driving charges, Pickett was awarded a spot in the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and was also honored with the Pioneer award by the
Rhythm and Blues Foundation. His last album, "It's Harder Now," was released in
1999 and received a Grammy nomination.
Mr. Pickett is survived by two sons, two daughters and a fiancée. He will be
buried in Louisville, Kentucky .
[Wilson Pickett photo from the cover of Very Best of Wilson Pickett, courtesy of Atlantic/WEA].
World Music Central
http://www.worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/2006012019434670