Jackie Wilson

Real Name: Jack Leroy Wilson
Birthday: 9 June 1934
Died: 21 January 1984
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Biggest Hit Singles: Reet Petite, number one, 1986, I Get The Sweetest Feeling, number three, 1987
Career Highlight: Inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame in 1987

Jackie was a soul superstar. Starting off with Billy Ward & The Dominos back in 1953, he soon left to start a solo career.

His first single, absolute classic Reet Petite, has been re-released over and over and was used in an 1980s TV advert too. Soon after he recorded Lonely Teardrops, which was to become his signature tune, and the album He’s So Fine.
Jackie had the world at his feet and picked up a reputation for his amazing live shows, earning him the moniker Mr Excitement.

Although married to Frida Hood since 1951, Wilson was a notorious womaniser. In 1961 he was shot and wounded by one of his lovers, Juanita Jones, who flew into a jealous rage as he returned to his apartment with another woman, fashion model Harlean Harris. To protect his reputation his manager concocted a story that Jones was an obsessed fan who threatened to shoot herself, and the media bought it!

He died of a huge heart attack in 1975, but since his death he has been honoured by Michael Jackson and Van Morrison, and his music will appear in a film adaptation of Irvin Welsh’s book Ecstacy: Three Tales Of A Chemical Romance, later this year.