Al Wilson (singer)

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Al Wilson


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Background = solo_singer
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Alias =
Born = birth date|1939|06|19|mf=y
Died = Death date and age|2008|04|21|1939|06|19|mf=y
Origin = Mississippi, United States
Genre = Pop, soul
Occupation = Musician
Years_active = 1959–2008
Label= Rocky Road, Playboy, RCA, Wilsong
Associated_acts = The Jewels, The Rollers, The Souls, Johnny Rivers
URL =

Al Wilson (June 19, 1939 – April 21, 2008) was an American soul singer best known for the hit song "Show and Tell".

Career

Wilson was born in Meridian, Mississippi. He showed little interest in education but performed in school plays, sung in talent shows and won first prize in a local art contest. Wilson began his career at the age of 12 leading his own spiritual quartet and singing in the church choir, even performing covers of country and western hits as circumstances dictated. While he was in high school, Wilson and his family relocated to San Bernardino, California, Dahl, B. "Liner Notes" "Show & Tell: the best of Al Wilson", Fuel 2000 Records, 2004] , where he worked odd jobs as a mail carrier, a janitor, and an office clerk, in addition to teaching himself to play drums; after graduation he spent four years touring with Johnny Harris and the Statesmen before joining the U.S. Navy and singing with an enlisted men's chorus. He also developed his stand up comedy routine to fall back on in case he didn't make it as a singer.

After a two-year military stint, Wilson settled in Los Angeles, touring the local nightclub circuit before joining the R&B vocal group the Jewels; from there he landed with the Rollers, followed by a stint with the instrumental combo the Souls. In 1966, Wilson signed with manager Marc Gordon, who quickly scored his client an a cappella audition for Johnny Rivers — the "Secret Agent Man" singer not only signed Wilson to his Soul City imprint, but also agreed to produce the sessions that yielded the 1968 R&B smash "The Snake" (U.S. #27),which has been very popular on the Northern Soul music circuit in the UK; it also provided Wilson with his only British chart hit, reaching number 41 in 1975. The minor hit "Do What You Gotta Do" appeared that same year. In 1969, Wilson charted with his cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Lodi" (U.S. #67), and Rivers' own "Poor Side Of Town" (U.S. #75).

Wilson largely disappeared from sight until 1973, when he issued the platinum-selling "Weighing In" — the album's success was spurred by the shimmering "Show and Tell," a Johnny Mathis castoff that sold well over a million copies.

1974's "The La La Peace Song" proved another hit but caused some trouble as OC Smith had also recorded a version around the same time and sales suffered as a result. Two years later in 1976 he recorded "I've Got a Feeling We'll Be Seeing Each Other Again" for Playboy Records which cracked the R&B Top Three. He tried to leave Playboy Records but was unable to get a release from his contract. Two years later the label folded. With 1979's "Count the Days" Wilson scored his final chart hit, however, and he spent the next two decades touring clubs and lounges; in 2001 he re-recorded his classic hits for the album Spice of Life.

In March 2007 many of his original master tapes were lost to a fire that swept through his home garage he had converted into a recording studio [http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_obitwilson22.42b83e8.html] Tribute to Al Wilson http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/wilson/2801933 Accessed 24 April 2008.] .

Wilson's recording of "The Snake" is currently being featured in a Lambrini advert on British TV.

Death

Wilson died April 21, 2008 of kidney failure, in Fontana, California at the age of 68.

Tribute concert

Tribute benefit concert at San Bernardino Valley College By PAT O'BRIEN The Press-Enterprise on May 3, 2008 [http://www.pe.com/rss/entertainment/stories/PE_Fea_Daily_D_concert03.2efa21b.html]

Brenton Wood was speechless when he heard last week that his old pal Al Wilson, a longtime San Bernardino resident, died April 21.

"I just spoke to him a couple of weeks prior and he was going to be on a show with me in Fresno in September," Wood said by phone from his Moreno Valley home. "I've been working with Al since 1965."

The two men had R&B hits that have kept them working concerts and festivals for decades. Wilson's biggest success was "Show and Tell," while Wood hit it big with "Gimme Little Sign" and "Baby You Got It."

A concert today at San Bernardino Valley College will be both a tribute to Wilson, who had been scheduled to perform, and benefit for Valley-Bound Commitment, which seeks to help disadvantaged students attend college.

In the lineup, along with Wood, are Cannibal and the Headhunters ("Land of a Thousand Dances"), Jewel Akens ("The Birds and the Bees"), Tierra ("Together"), Leon Hughes of the Coasters ("Yakety Yak"), Jerome Robinson of the Platters ("The Great Pretender"), Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods ("Billy Don't Be a Hero"), Ron Dante of the Archies ("Sugar, Sugar") and Bertie Higgins ("Key Largo").

"It means the world to me that they are honoring him. This is overwhelming, and it's joyful," said Wilson's son Tony, who is a playwright and a teacher at Badger Springs Middle School in Moreno Valley. "When I was in junior high school he came and sang 'Show and Tell.' He was just Dad and I loved watching him perform. Now I see that not only was he a great father to me, he was a great person around the world."

The singers plan to collaborate on a performance of Wilson's platinum-selling "Show and Tell".

"This overwhelming response to this tribute is for a man who was one of the most generous people on the planet," said Paul Rubalcaba, director of community relations for the college. "When the tragedy hit with the untimely death of Al Wilson, all the fellow performers that worked with him over the years stepped up to the plate. They said, 'What can we do?' They are here to support the Valley-Bound Commitment that Al supported."

The concert will be the first major fundraiser for the program that offers a free first year of college education to disadvantaged students who qualify. Students from Colton High School will be the first recipients.

Discography

Albums

*1968: "Searching for the Dolphins" (Soul City)
*1973: "Weighing In" (Bell/Rocky Road) - US Pop #70, US R&B #9
*1974: "La La Peace Song" (Bell/Rocky Road) - US Pop #171, US R&B #35
*1976: "I've Got a Feeling" (Playboy) - US Pop #185, US R&B #43
*1979: "Count the Days" (RCA)
*1999/2000 "Christmas to Christmas Live with Al Wilson "(Wilsong Records)
*2004: "Show & Tell: The Best of Al Wilson"'

ingles

*1961: "The Continental Walk" (with "The Rollers") - US Pop #80, US R&B #28
*1968: "Do What You Gotta Do" - US R&B #39
*1968: "The Snake" - US Pop #27, US R&B #32, UK #41
*1969: "Lodi" - US Pop #67
*1969: "Poor Side of Town" - US Pop #75
*1973: "Show and Tell" - US Pop #1, US R&B #10
*1974: "Touch and Go" - US Pop #57, US R&B #23
*1974: "La La Peace Song" - US Pop #30, US R&B #19
*1975: "I Won't Last a Day Without You/Let Me Be the One" - US Pop #70, US R&B #19
*1976: "I've Got a Feeling (We'll Be Seeing Each Other Again)" - US Pop #29, US R&B #3
*1976: "Baby I Want Your Body" - US R&B #28

References and external links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:64220rjac48c Al Wilson Biography at AMG]
* [http://www.shs.starkville.k12.ms.us/mswm/MSWritersAndMusicians/musicians/WilsonAl/WilsonAl.html Biography of Al Wilson by Xavier Collier]
*http://www.marstalent.com/bio_al_wilson.htm
* [http://www.superseventies.com/1974_4singles.html Super Seventies "Show and Tell" Al Wilson]
* [http://www.soulsounds.com/aal.html Soul Sounds Al Wilson page]
* [http://www.soulexpress.net/alwilson_discography.htm The complete Al Wilson discography at Soul Express]