AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Wilson Pickett

Artist:Wilson Pickett

Song:Land of 1000 Dances

Album:A Man and a Half: The Best of Wilson Pickett

Wilson Pickett was one of the most energetic soul singers. He had success mostly on the R&B charts in the 60s. But he crossed over to pop and scored his biggest hit with the 1966 single Land of 1000 Dances. He was born Mar. 18, 1941 in Prattville, AL. He was the fourth of eleven children. Apparently his mother was abusive. So he moved to Detroit to live with his father in 1955. Pickett grew up singing in church choirs. Little Richard was his main influence. He joined the gospel group The Violinaires in 1955. He joined the R&B group The Falcons in 1960. Singer Eddie Floyd, The Contours lead singer Joe Stubbs and songwriter Mack Rice were also in The Falcons. Pickett sang lead on their hit single I Found a Love. Pickett recorded a demo of If You Need Me and sent it to Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler. He gave it to one of his artists Solomon Burke and Burke scored a hit with the song. Pickett took another demo to Wexler. Then he released a few singles. When the 1963 single It's Too Late was a top ten R&B hit, Wexler bought Pickett's contract from Double L Records. Wexler sent Pickett to producer Bert Berns. When they didn't have success, Wexler took Pickett to Stax in Memphis and he topped the R&B charts with the 1965 single In the Midnight Hour. Wexler produced with Steve Cropper of Booker T & the MGs. Pickett recorded his 1965 album In the Midnight Hour at Stax. He recorded half of the 1966 album The Exciting Wilson Pickett at Stax. Then Stax owner Jim Stewart banned outside producers from recording at Stax. So Wexler took Pickett to FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, AL and recorded the rest of the album there. Land of 1000 Dances reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the R&B charts. Chris Kenner wrote and originally recorded the song. It charted but Pickett's version was a much bigger hit. Wexler produced with FAME owner Rick Hall and Tom Dowd. Jimmy Johnson, Chips Moman and Tommy Cogbill played guitar. Spooner Oldham played piano. Albert "Junior" Lowe played bass. Roger Hawkins played drums. All are Muscle Shoals session musicians. Pickett continued to have success mostly on the R&B charts. He faded in the late 60s and left Atlantic for RCA in 1972. You can get all of Pickett's Atlantic hits on this Rhino 2CD comp. Pickett recorded four albums at RCA with producer Brad Shapiro who he had worked with at Muscle Shoals. But I guess the rise of disco had a lot to do with Pickett's decline. He also recorded for Big Tree, EMI America, Motown and Bullseye Blues. Pickett recorded his final album in 1999. He also appeared in the 1998 film Blues Brothers 2000 and continued to tour regularly until he had health problems and died from a heart attack on Jan. 19, 2006 at age 64. Little Richard delivered the eulogy. Wilson is one of the all time greats and he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. Here's Wilson Pickett performing Land of 1000 Dances 1971.