Jack Leroy Wilson Jr., an American singer and performer in the 1950s and 1960s, was born on June 9, 1934, and passed away on January 21, 1984.
He had a key role in the transformation of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as “Mr Excitement” and was regarded as a superb showman as well as one of the most dynamic vocalists and performers in the history of soul, R&B, and rock and roll.
What was Jackie Wilson’s first #1 hit record?
On Dizzy Gillespie’s record label Dee Gee, Jackie Wilson had his recording debut as Sonny Wilson.
He then made his debut as Jackie in 1957 with Reet Petite, which would ultimately (nearly thirty years later) become a UK Official Singles Chart Number 1 at Christmas 1986.
Wilson first became well-known while performing with the R&B vocal group Billy Ward and His Dominoes.
In 1957, he went solo and amassed more than 50 hit singles in the R&B, pop, soul, doo-wop, and easy-listening genres. Six of the 16 Top 10 R&B songs in this list were number-one hits. Six of Wilson’s top 20 pop singles on the Billboard Hot 100’s top 20 list.
