Ricky Helton Wilson(March 19, 1953 – October 12, 1985)[1]was an American musician best known as the original guitarist and founding member of rock bandthe B-52s.Born inAthens, Georgia,Wilson was the brother of fellow memberCindy Wilson.The B-52s were founded in 1976, when Ricky, Cindy,Kate Pierson,Keith StricklandandFred Schneidershared a tropicalflaming volcanodrink at a Chinese restaurant and, after an impromptumusic sessionat the home of their friend Owen Scott III, played for the first time at aValentine's Dayparty for friends.[2]Wilson's unusual guitar tunings were a large contribution to the band's quirky sound.[3]
Ricky Wilson | |
|---|---|
 Wilson performingc.1981 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ricky Helton Wilson |
| Born | March 19, 1953 Athens, Georgia,U.S. |
| Died | October 12, 1985(aged 32) New York City,U.S. |
| Genres | New wave,post-punk |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, bass, keyboards |
| Years active | 1973–1985 |
| Formerly of | The B-52's |
| Website | theb52s |
On October 12, 1985, at the age of 32, Wilson died from complications related toAIDSfollowing the recording of the band's fourth studio albumBouncing Off the Satellites.According to Strickland, the album had been completed and mixed before Wilson's death, with only the cover art not yet designed (an illustration byKenny Scharfwas ultimately decided upon). Devastated, the band went into seclusion and did not tour to promote the album, though they did several photo shoots and TV appearances and filmed a video for "Girl from Ipanema Goes to Greenland".
In addition to his work with the B-52s, Wilson played the guitar on the song "Breakin' in My Heart" onTom Verlaine'sself-titled debut albumin 1979. This was his only non-B-52s appearance on record. He also appeared in various films, notablyOne Trick Pony.Posthumously, he also appeared inAthens, GA: Inside/Out,The B-52s 1979–1989,andTime Capsule: Videos for a Future Generationthrough archival footage.
Rolling Stonenamed Wilson the 247th greatest guitarist of all time in 2023.[4]
Early life
editWilson was born on March 19, 1953, to Bobby Jack Wilson, a fireman and a veteran of the United States Army, and Linda J. Wilson (née Mairholtz),[5]inAthens, Georgia.He was the elder brother ofCindy Wilson.[6]At an early age, Wilson developed an interest in music and learned how to playfolk guitarfrom thePBSseriesLearning Folk Guitar.[7]Upon enteringClarke Central High School,Wilson had upgraded to aSilvertoneguitar and, to tape his music, purchased atwo-track tape recorderwith money earned from a summer job at the local landfill.[7]
In mid-1969, Wilson met formerComerresidentKeith Stricklandat the localhead shopThe Looking Glass.[8]The two shared common interests in music andEastern mysticistculture and quickly became friends.[7]
Wilson quietly came out as gay to Strickland while the two were in their teens, becoming the first member of the band to do so.[9]
Career
edit1970–1976: Black Narcissus
editDuring mid-1969, both Wilson and Strickland collaborated in writing and performing music, loosely calling themselves Loon, and aspired to perform live.[10][11]
From 1969 to 1971, Wilson and Strickland collaborated with high school friends Pete Love ofLouisvilleand Athens native Owen Scott III in performing together as the four-member band Black Narcissus.[12]
Upon graduation from theUniversity of Georgiain 1976, Wilson kept in touch with Strickland and they toured Europe, eventually returning and taking jobs at the Southeastern Stages bus station in Athens, Georgia where Strickland's father was the manager.[12]
1976–1985: The B-52s
editIn late 1976, Strickland and Wilson returned to Athens in search of further employment.[12]The two joined the B-52s when they, Wilson's sister Cindy,Kate Pierson,andFred Schneiderof localprotestband the Sun-Donuts,[12]formed the group in an impromptu musical practice session after sharing a tropicalflaming volcanodrink at a Chinese restaurant.[3][13]They played their first concert in 1977 at aValentine's Dayparty for friends.[12][3][13]The band's quirky take on thenew wavesound of their era was a combination of dance andsurf musicset apart by the unusual guitar tunings used by Wilson.
Wilson cited variouschildren's records,the Mamas & the Papas,andEsquerita and the Voolaas sources of inspiration in his musical career.[14]Wilson also played the guitar on the song "Breakin' In My Heart" onTom Verlaine'sself-titled debut album.
Illness and death
editIn 1983, during recording sessions for the band's third studio albumWhammy!,[12]Wilson discovered he had contractedHIV.He confided his illness to Keith Strickland.[15][16]In 1985, during recording for their albumBouncing Off the Satellites,Wilson's illness became more severe; both Strickland and Pierson have stated that despite this, he kept his illness secret from the other members of the band.[16][17]In an interview, Pierson stated that Wilson did so because he "did not want anyone to worry about him or fuss about him".[17]
On October 12, 1985,[12]in theMemorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center,Wilson died ofAIDS,at the age of 32.[16]He was buried inOconee Hill Cemeteryin Athens.[18]Devastated, the band did little promotional work and did not tour to promote the album.[19]Upon reforming in 1988, the band continued as a four-piece, with Strickland replicating Wilson's riffs from their earlier material in live performances.
References
edit- ^Sexton 2002,p. 75.
- ^Che, Cathay (February 5, 2002)."52's still rockin' at 25".The Advocate.p. 62.RetrievedMarch 8,2007.
- ^abcAzerrad, Michael (March 22, 1990). "The B-52s".Rolling Stone.No. 574. p. 46.
- ^"The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".Rolling Stone.October 13, 2023.RetrievedOctober 14,2023.
- ^"Bobby Jack Wilson – Online Athens".
- ^Scott, Rosemary (June 25, 2017)."Cindy Wilson: Looking Back and Moving Forward".The Red and Black.RetrievedOctober 1,2021.
- ^abcSexton 2002,p. 28.
- ^Sexton 2002,p. 29.
- ^"Return to the love shack: the B-52s, the world's greatest party band, comes out (in more ways than one) with its first new album in 16 years. – Free Online Library".
- ^Sexton 2002,p. 30.
- ^Schoemer, Karen (March 1990). "Beehives & Ballyhoo".Spin.pp.41–44,86–87.
- ^abcdefgSimmonds, Jeremy (May 1, 2008). "Ricky Wilson".The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns, and Ham Sandwiches.Chicago Review Press.p. 205.ISBN978-1-55652-754-8.
- ^ab"Rolling StoneBiography for The B-52s ".Rolling Stone.Archived fromthe originalon July 16, 2007.
- ^"Record Company Fact Sheet, 1983".Archived fromthe originalon July 22, 2012.
- ^Wener, Ben (August 11, 1998)."The B-52s party on!: Nearly 20 years after turning the pop world on its ear, the group is gaining in popularity".The Spectator.p. D-10. Archived fromthe originalon October 26, 2012.
- ^abcRoberts, Jo (November 27, 2009)."Bouffant bombshell".The Age.p. 2.
- ^abEMP: Experience Music Project: Kate Pierson talking about Ricky WilsononYouTube
- ^Shearer, Lee (April 5, 2009)."Oconee Hill: Under every stone, a story".Athens Banner-Herald.
- ^Allmusic Guide Biography for The B-52s
- Johnson, Chad.CliffsNotes to Guitar Songs.Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard, 2014.
- Perone, James E.The Album: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations, 4 Volumes.Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2012.
- Sexton, Mats (2002).The B-52s Universe: The Essential Guide to the World's Greatest Party Band.Minneapolis:Plan-B Books.ISBN978-0-9652745-9-3.
- Simmonds, Jeremy.The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns, and Ham Sandwiches.Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press, 2012.
- Various Mojo Magazine.The Mojo Collection: 4th Edition.Edinburgh, UK: Canongate Books, 2007.
- Ricky Wilson (B-52s),Danelectro Dano Pro Electric Guitarfrom Equipboard.com.Ricky Wilson (B-52s)'s Danelectro Dano Pro Electric Guitar.
- Ricky Wilson and the Rock Lobsterfrom Legacy.com.