Ricky Wilson (American musician)
Encyclopedia
Ricky Helton Wilson was an American instrumentalist, singer-songwriter
, and musician
. He was best known as the original guitarist
and founding member of New Wave
rock
band the B-52s. Born in Athens, Georgia
, Wilson was the brother of fellow member Cindy Wilson
.
He originally joined the B-52s in 1977, when he, 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.
As a self-taught guitarist, Wilson created his own tunings, grouping the strings of his Mosrite
guitar
into a bass course (usually tuned to fifths for strumming) and a treble course (often tuned in unison), removing the middle two strings entirely, though sometimes he played with five strings as well. Together with keyboard bass
played by organist
Kate Pierson
, the band achieved a solid rock and roll
sound without a bass guitar
.
On October 12, 1985, at the age of 32, Wilson died from AIDS
/HIV
-related health complications following the recording of the band's fourth studio album
Bouncing off the Satellites
. Devastated, the band went into seclusion and did not tour to promote the album. Prior to his death, Wilson played the guitar on the song "Breakin' In My Heart" on Tom Verlaine
's self-titular debut album
. He also appeared in various films, namely One Trick Pony, Athens, GA: Inside/Out, The B-52's 1979-1989
, and The B-52's Time Capsule: Videos for a Future Generation 1979-1998
, the latter three of which featured archive footage of Wilson.
. He was the brother of fellow band member Cindy Wilson
. At an early age, Wilson developed an interest in music, and learned how to play a folk guitar
from the PBS
series Learning Folk Guitar. Upon entering Clarke Central High School
, Wilson had upgraded to a Silvertone
guitar and purchased a two-track tape recorder to tape his music with money earned from a summer job at the local landfill.
In mid-1969, Wilson met former Comer
resident Keith Strickland
at the local head shop
Looking Glass. The two shared common interests in music and Eastern mysticist
culture, and quickly became friends.
From 1969 to 1971, Wilson and Strickland collaborated with high school friends Peter Love of Louisville and Athens native Owen Scott, III in performing together at the four-member band Black Narcissus.
Upon graduation from the University of Georgia
in 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 manager.
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
, Esquerita's The Voola as sources of inspiration in his musical career. Wilson also played the guitar on the song "Breakin' In My Heart" on the Tom Verlaine
's self-titled debut album
.
Whammy!
, Wilson discovered he had contracted AIDS
/HIV
-related health complications. In 1985, during recording for their album Bouncing off the Satellites
, Wilson's illness became more severe; despite this, he kept his illness secret from the other members of the band says Keith Strickland; in an interview, fellow band member Kate Pierson stated that Wilson had kept his illness secret from his fellow band members 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 finally succumbed to the illness, 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.
, she was described as being the "hardest hit" by his death.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He was best known as the original guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and founding member of New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band the B-52s. Born in Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
, Wilson was the brother of fellow member Cindy Wilson
Cindy Wilson
Cynthia Leigh Wilson is a vocalist and a founding member of new wave rock band The B-52s.- Career :...
.
He originally joined the B-52s in 1977, when he, his sister Cindy, Kate Pierson
Kate Pierson
Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Pierson is an American vocalist and one of the lead singers and founding members of The B-52's. One of the multi-instrumentalists in the band, Pierson played guitar, bass and various keyboard instruments...
, Keith Strickland
Keith Strickland
Julian Keith Strickland is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, and one of the founding members of the The B-52s. Originally the band's drummer, Strickland switched to guitar after the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson in 1985...
and Fred Schneider
Fred Schneider
Frederick William "Fred" Schneider III is an American rock singer, best known as the frontman of the rock band The B-52's, of which he is a founding member. Schneider is well-known for his sprechgesang which he developed from reciting poetry over guitars.-Early life:Schneider was born in Newark,...
shared a tropical Flaming Volcano
Flaming Volcano (cocktail)
The flaming volcano is a large tropical group cocktail made of rum, brandy, pineapple juice, orange juice, almond syrup, and sometimes other ingredients...
drink at a Chinese restaurant and, after an impromptu music session
Music session
A Music session, traditional music session or simply session is a term often used to describe a social gathering of musicians. Sometimes a music session is referred to as a jam session. Much of the music at such events revolves around traditional music for the area or popular songs. A suitable...
at the home of their friend, Owen Scott, III, played for the first time at a Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
party for friends.
As a self-taught guitarist, Wilson created his own tunings, grouping the strings of his Mosrite
Mosrite
Mosrite is an American guitar manufacturing company, based in Bakersfield, California, from the late 1950s to the early 1990s. Founded by Semie Moseley, Mosrite guitars were played by many rock and roll and country artists....
guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
into a bass course (usually tuned to fifths for strumming) and a treble course (often tuned in unison), removing the middle two strings entirely, though sometimes he played with five strings as well. Together with keyboard bass
Keyboard bass
The keyboard bass is the use of a low-pitched keyboard or pedal keyboard to substitute for the bass guitar or double bass in popular music.-1960s:The earliest keyboard bass instrument was the 1960 Fender Rhodes piano bass, pictured above...
played by organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
Kate Pierson
Kate Pierson
Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Pierson is an American vocalist and one of the lead singers and founding members of The B-52's. One of the multi-instrumentalists in the band, Pierson played guitar, bass and various keyboard instruments...
, the band achieved a solid rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
sound without a bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
.
On October 12, 1985, at the age of 32, Wilson died from AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
/HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
-related health complications following the recording of the band's fourth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
Bouncing off the Satellites
Bouncing off the Satellites
- Personnel :Band* Fred Schneider – lead vocals* Keith Strickland – bass, guitar, harmonica, percussion, keyboards, sitar, vocals, backing vocals* Cindy Wilson – lead vocals* Kate Pierson – lead vocals* Ricky Wilson – lead guitar, bass, backing vocals...
. Devastated, the band went into seclusion and did not tour to promote the album. Prior to his death, Wilson played the guitar on the song "Breakin' In My Heart" on Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the frontman for the New York rock band Television.-Biography:...
's self-titular debut album
Tom Verlaine (album)
Tom Verlaine is the former Television guitarist's eponymous 1979 solo debut album.Several tracks, including "The Grip of Love", "Breakin' In My Heart", and "Red Leaves" trace their roots to unreleased Television songs. In the case of "Red Leaves", the verses are drawn from "Adventure", the...
. He also appeared in various films, namely One Trick Pony, Athens, GA: Inside/Out, The B-52's 1979-1989
The B-52's 1979-1989
The B-52's 1979–1989 is a video tape compilation of seven music videos by The B-52's for their albums The B-52's, Whammy!, Bouncing Off the Satellites and Cosmic Thing; as well as one music video from Fred Schneider's first solo album entitled Fred Schneider & the Shake Society.-Music videos:...
, and The B-52's Time Capsule: Videos for a Future Generation 1979-1998
The B-52's Time Capsule: Videos for a Future Generation 1979-1998
The B-52's Time Capsule: Videos for a Future Generation 1979–1998 is a video tape compilation of twelve music videos performed by The B-52's. In late 2009, this video was released on DVD in Australia in a limited edition CD/DVD package of The B-52's CD compilation Time Capsule: Songs for a Future...
, the latter three of which featured archive footage of Wilson.
Childhood
Wilson was born on March 19, 1953 in Athens, GeorgiaAthens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
. He was the brother of fellow band member Cindy Wilson
Cindy Wilson
Cynthia Leigh Wilson is a vocalist and a founding member of new wave rock band The B-52s.- Career :...
. At an early age, Wilson developed an interest in music, and learned how to play a folk guitar
Steel-string acoustic guitar
A steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound...
from the PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
series Learning Folk Guitar. Upon entering Clarke Central High School
Clarke Central High School
Clarke Central High School is located in Athens, Georgia. The school was created in 1970 by the merger of two high schools, Athens High School and Burney-Harris High School , as a result of desegregation....
, Wilson had upgraded to a Silvertone
Silvertone (instruments)
Silvertone was the brand name used by Sears, Roebuck and Company for its line of sound equipment from 1915 to 1972. A hand-cranked phonograph was introduced under the Silvertone brand by Sears in 1915...
guitar and purchased a two-track tape recorder to tape his music with money earned from a summer job at the local landfill.
In mid-1969, Wilson met former Comer
Comer, Georgia
Comer is a city in Madison County, Georgia, United States. Incorporated in the year 1893, Comer is the largest city in Madison County based on population with an annual growth rate of approximately 3%.-Geography:Comer is located at...
resident Keith Strickland
Keith Strickland
Julian Keith Strickland is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, and one of the founding members of the The B-52s. Originally the band's drummer, Strickland switched to guitar after the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson in 1985...
at the local head shop
Head shop
A head shop is a retail outlet specializing in drug paraphernalia used for consumption of cannabis, other recreational drugs, legal highs, legal party powders and New Age herbs, as well as counterculture art, magazines, music, clothing, and home decor; some head shops also sell oddities, such as...
Looking Glass. The two shared common interests in music and Eastern mysticist
Eastern mysticism
Eastern mysticism or Eastern spirituality is a broad and largely Western concept summarizing and sometimes amalgamating mystic traditions of the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent and the Far East, a separate realm from Western mysticism...
culture, and quickly became friends.
1970–1976: Black Narcissus
During mid-1969, both Wilson and Strickland collaborated in writing and performing music, loosely calling themselves Loon, and aspired to perform live.From 1969 to 1971, Wilson and Strickland collaborated with high school friends Peter Love of Louisville and Athens native Owen Scott, III in performing together at the four-member band Black Narcissus.
Upon graduation from the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
in 1976, Wilson kept in touch with Strickland and they toured Europe, eventually returning and taking jobs at the Southeastern Stages bus station
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
in Athens, Georgia where Strickland's father was manager.
1976–1983: The B-52s
In late 1976, Strickland and Wilson returned to Athens in search of further employment. The two joined the B-52s when they, Wilson's sister Cindy, and Kate PiersonKate Pierson
Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Pierson is an American vocalist and one of the lead singers and founding members of The B-52's. One of the multi-instrumentalists in the band, Pierson played guitar, bass and various keyboard instruments...
and Fred Schneider
Fred Schneider
Frederick William "Fred" Schneider III is an American rock singer, best known as the frontman of the rock band The B-52's, of which he is a founding member. Schneider is well-known for his sprechgesang which he developed from reciting poetry over guitars.-Early life:Schneider was born in Newark,...
of local protest
Protest song
A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs . It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre...
band The Sun-Donuts, formed the group in an impromptu musical practice session after sharing a tropical Flaming Volcano
Flaming Volcano (cocktail)
The flaming volcano is a large tropical group cocktail made of rum, brandy, pineapple juice, orange juice, almond syrup, and sometimes other ingredients...
drink at a Chinese restaurant. They played their first concert in 1977 at a Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
party for friends. The band's quirky take on the New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
sound of their era was a combination of dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
and surf music
Surf music
Surf music is a genre of popular music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Orange County and other areas of Southern California. It was particularly popular between 1961 and 1965, has subsequently been revived and was highly influential on subsequent rock music...
set apart by the unusual guitar tunings used by Wilson.
Wilson cited various children's records
Children's music
Children's music is used here to refer to music composed and performed for children by adults. In European influenced contexts this means music, usually songs, written specifically for a juvenile audience. The composers are usually adults. Children's music has historically held both entertainment...
, The Mamas & The Papas
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
, Esquerita's The Voola as sources of inspiration in his musical career. Wilson also played the guitar on the song "Breakin' In My Heart" on the Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the frontman for the New York rock band Television.-Biography:...
's self-titled debut album
Tom Verlaine (album)
Tom Verlaine is the former Television guitarist's eponymous 1979 solo debut album.Several tracks, including "The Grip of Love", "Breakin' In My Heart", and "Red Leaves" trace their roots to unreleased Television songs. In the case of "Red Leaves", the verses are drawn from "Adventure", the...
.
Illness and death
In 1983, during recording sessions for the band's third studio albumStudio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
Whammy!
Whammy!
Media response to Whammy! was mixed, but generally positive; most critics agreed that while the album was generally weaker in songwriting structure than The B-52's' first two albums The B-52's and Wild Planet, it was an overall improvement over their previous album Mesopotamia, which received poor...
, Wilson discovered he had contracted AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
/HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
-related health complications. In 1985, during recording for their album Bouncing off the Satellites
Bouncing off the Satellites
- Personnel :Band* Fred Schneider – lead vocals* Keith Strickland – bass, guitar, harmonica, percussion, keyboards, sitar, vocals, backing vocals* Cindy Wilson – lead vocals* Kate Pierson – lead vocals* Ricky Wilson – lead guitar, bass, backing vocals...
, Wilson's illness became more severe; despite this, he kept his illness secret from the other members of the band says Keith Strickland; in an interview, fellow band member Kate Pierson stated that Wilson had kept his illness secret from his fellow band members 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 finally succumbed to the illness, at the age of 32. He was later buried in Oconee Hill Cemetery
Oconee Hill Cemetery
Oconee Hill Cemetery is an American cemetery in Athens, Georgia. The cemetery opened in 1856 and is located just off the University of Georgia's campus....
in Athens. Devastated, the band did little promotional work and did not tour to promote the album.
Cindy Wilson
Being Wilson's sibling, Cindy joined The B-52s after an impromptu musical practice session after sharing a tropical Flaming Volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant, described by the band as being "old enough" to join.Reaction to Wilson's death
Cindy was naturally shocked at her brother's death; in an interview with The AgeThe Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
, she was described as being the "hardest hit" by his death.
Keith Strickland
Strickland and Wilson had been very close friends. Soon after Wilson's death, Strickland, who had previously been the band's drummer, moved to play guitar in place of Wilson.Legacy and influence
The epitaph on Wilson's tombstone reads: "The breeze of grace is always blowing; set your sail to catch that breeze."Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | One Trick Pony | Himself | Credited alongside The B-52s as The B-52's |
| 1987 | Athens, GA: Inside/Out | Himself | Archive footage Credited alongside The B-52s as The B-52's |