AL WILSON
JANICE'S BLUES ALLEY PRESENTS
AL WILSON
|
|
Best remembered for the soul classic "Show and Tell," singer Al Wilson was born June 19, 1939 in Meridian, Mississippi.
From childhood forward he was singing professionally, and by the age of 12 was 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 Bernadino, California, 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.
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." The minor hit "Do What You Gotta Do" appeared that same year, but Wilson then 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 major hit, and two years later, "I've Got a Feeling We'll Be Seeing Each Other Again" cracked the R&B Top Three. 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.
Kidney failure took his life on April 21, 2008.
-- by Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
|
|
|
01. The Dolphins 02. By The Time I Get To Phoenix 03. I Stand Accused 04. Summer Rain 05. Do What You Gotta Do 06. The Snake |
07. Who Could Be Loving You 08. Poor Side Of Town 09. Shake Me, Wake Me (when it’s over) 10. This Guy’s In Love With You 11. Brother, Where Are You? |
|
01. Show And Tell 02. I’m Out To Get You 03. Queen Of The Ghetto 04. Touch And Go 05. My Song |
06. Broken Home 07. What You See 08. Love Me Gentle, Love Me Blind 09. Moonlightin’ 10. For Cryin’ Out Loud |
|
01. La La Peace Song 02. Stone’s Throw 03. I Won’t Last A Day Without You 04. Let Me Be The One 05. Goin’ Through The Motions 06. Passport |
07. I’m A Weak Man 08. Fifty-Fifty 09. Longer We Stay Together 10. Willoughby Brook Road 11. You’re The One Thing |
|
01. I’ve Got A Feeling 02. Stay With Me 03. Baby, I Want Your Body 04. Differently 05. Having A Party |
06. Ain’t Nothing New Under The Sun 07. How’s Your Love Life 08. Honoring 09. You Did It For Me |
|
01. Count The Days I’m Gone 02. You Got It 03. Is This The End 04. Tomorrow’s Sun |
05. Earthquake 06. Since I’m Without You 07. Save A Dance 08. You Really Turn Me On |
|
01. Show And Tell 02. La La Peace Song 03. Keep On Loving You 04. I Won’t Last A Day Without You 05. Let Me Be The One 06. Amen Brother 07. Touch And Go 08. You Do The Right Things 09. I’m Out To Get You 10. Born On The Bayou |
11. Listen To Me 12. Settle Me Down 13. Willoughby Brook Road 14. Magic Of Your Mind 15. Queen Of The Ghetto 16. Passport 17. I’m A Weak Man 18. Goin’ Through The Motions 19. A Stone’s Throw |
