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On this day, March 19, 1953, Ricky Wilson of the B-52's was born.
I don't want to hear about the apostrophe. It was part of the group's name until 2008.
Ricky Wilson (American musician)
Wilson as seen in a photograph (with the message "We Love you Ricky" written over it) used on the booklet for Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation
Background information
Birth name: Ricky Helton Wilson
Born: March 19, 1953; Athens, Georgia, U.S.
Died: October 12, 1985 (aged 32); New York City, New York, U.S.
Website: www.theb52s.com
Ricky Helton Wilson (March 19, 1953 – October 12, 1985) was an American musician best known as the original guitarist and founding member of rock band the B-52's. Born in Athens, Georgia, Wilson was the brother of fellow member Cindy Wilson. The B-52's were founded in 1976, when Ricky, his sister Cindy, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland and Fred Schneider shared a tropical flaming volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant and, after an impromptu music session at the home of their friend, Owen Scott III, played for the first time at a Valentine's Day party for friends. Wilson's unusual guitar tunings were a large contribution to the band's quirky sound.
{snip}
Musical career
{snip}
1976–1985: The B-52's
In late 1976, Strickland and Wilson returned to Athens in search of further employment. The two joined the B-52's when they, Wilson's sister Cindy, Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider of local protest band the Sun-Donuts, formed the group in an impromptu musical practice session after sharing a tropical flaming volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant. They played their first concert in 1977 at a Valentine's Day party for friends. The band's quirky take on the new wave sound of their era was a combination of dance and surf music set apart by the unusual guitar tunings used by Wilson.
Wilson cited various children's records, the Mamas & the Papas, and Esquerita and the Voola as sources of inspiration in his musical career. Wilson also played the guitar on the song "Breakin' In My Heart" on Tom Verlaine's self-titled debut album.
Illness and death
In 1983, during recording sessions for the band's third studio album Whammy!, Wilson discovered he had contracted HIV. He confided his illness to Keith Strickland, as stated in several interviews including one with The Age. In 1985, during recording for their album Bouncing 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. In an interview, Pierson stated that Wilson did so because he "did not want anyone to worry about him or fuss about him."
On October 12, 1985, in the Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, Wilson died of AIDS, at the age of 32. He was later buried in Oconee Hill Cemetery in Athens. Devastated, the band did little promotional work and did not tour to promote the album. Upon reforming in 1988, the band continued as a four-piece, with Strickland replicating Wilson's riffs from their earlier material in live performances.
{snip}
Wilson as seen in a photograph (with the message "We Love you Ricky" written over it) used on the booklet for Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation
Background information
Birth name: Ricky Helton Wilson
Born: March 19, 1953; Athens, Georgia, U.S.
Died: October 12, 1985 (aged 32); New York City, New York, U.S.
Website: www.theb52s.com
Ricky Helton Wilson (March 19, 1953 – October 12, 1985) was an American musician best known as the original guitarist and founding member of rock band the B-52's. Born in Athens, Georgia, Wilson was the brother of fellow member Cindy Wilson. The B-52's were founded in 1976, when Ricky, his sister Cindy, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland and Fred Schneider shared a tropical flaming volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant and, after an impromptu music session at the home of their friend, Owen Scott III, played for the first time at a Valentine's Day party for friends. Wilson's unusual guitar tunings were a large contribution to the band's quirky sound.
{snip}
Musical career
{snip}
1976–1985: The B-52's
In late 1976, Strickland and Wilson returned to Athens in search of further employment. The two joined the B-52's when they, Wilson's sister Cindy, Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider of local protest band the Sun-Donuts, formed the group in an impromptu musical practice session after sharing a tropical flaming volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant. They played their first concert in 1977 at a Valentine's Day party for friends. The band's quirky take on the new wave sound of their era was a combination of dance and surf music set apart by the unusual guitar tunings used by Wilson.
Wilson cited various children's records, the Mamas & the Papas, and Esquerita and the Voola as sources of inspiration in his musical career. Wilson also played the guitar on the song "Breakin' In My Heart" on Tom Verlaine's self-titled debut album.
Illness and death
In 1983, during recording sessions for the band's third studio album Whammy!, Wilson discovered he had contracted HIV. He confided his illness to Keith Strickland, as stated in several interviews including one with The Age. In 1985, during recording for their album Bouncing 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. In an interview, Pierson stated that Wilson did so because he "did not want anyone to worry about him or fuss about him."
On October 12, 1985, in the Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, Wilson died of AIDS, at the age of 32. He was later buried in Oconee Hill Cemetery in Athens. Devastated, the band did little promotional work and did not tour to promote the album. Upon reforming in 1988, the band continued as a four-piece, with Strickland replicating Wilson's riffs from their earlier material in live performances.
{snip}
Planet Claire
537,818 views•Apr 11, 2015
The B-52s
44.6K subscribers
Provided to YouTube by Reprise
Planet Claire · The B-52's
The B-52's
℗ 1979 Island Records
Assistant Engineer: Cass Rigby
Producer: Chris Blackwell
Tambourine, Vocals: Cindy Wilson
Vocals: Fred Schneider
Synth Bass: Kate Pierson
Organ, Vocals: Kate Pierson
Drums, Percussion: Keith Strickland
Guitar: Ricky Wilson
Engineer: Robert Ash
Associate Producer: Robert Ash
Writer: Fred Schneider
Writer: Henry Mancini
Writer: Keith Strickland
Auto-generated by YouTube.
