Wilson Pickett | Artist
Wilson Pickett was an American soul and R&B singer and songwriter born 1941 in Prattville, Alabama. A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, many of which crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100. Pickett's forceful, passionate style of singing was developed in the church and on the streets of Detroit, under the influence of artists such as Little Richard, whom he referred to as "the architect of rock and roll". Wilson started out as a member of the gospel soul group The Falcons, with whom he had several hits including "I Found a Love". Pickett then cut his first solo recordings, including "I'm Gonna Cry" and "If You Need Me", in collaboration with Don Covay. Pickett sent the songs to Jerry Wexler, a producer at Atlantic Records who gave "If You Need Me" to Solomon Burke, Atlantic's biggest star at the time. Pickett's breakthrough came at Stax Records studio in Memphis, where he recorded his third Atlantic single, "In The Midnight Hour" in 1965. This was Pickett's first big hit, peaking at #1 R&B, #21 pop (US), and #12 (UK). It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The recording of "In the Midnight Hour" was done with the Stax house band which included Steve Cropper, Al Jackson and Donald "Duck" Dunn, who were also part of Booker T & the MG's. Pickett went on to record 21 studio albums and become one of America's greatest R&B recording artists. His songs have been covered by a multitude of rock & roll artists, including Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Grateful Dead, Genesis, Creedence, Echo & The Bunnymen, Roxy Music, Bruce Springsteen and Los Lobos. Standout albums include In The Midnight Hour, The Exciting Wilson Pickett, The Wicked Pickett, The Sound of Wilson Pickett, I'm in Love, The Midnight Mover and In Philadelphia. Pickett was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, in recognition of his impact on songwriting and recording.
Artist Website: wilsonpickett.com
Featured Albums: Wilson Pickett
Related Artists: Blues Brothers, The Falcons, Booker T & the MG's
