Ricky Wilson | |
|---|---|
 Wilson performingc. 1981 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Ricky Helton Wilson (1953-03-19)March 19, 1953 Athens, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | October 12, 1985(1985-10-12) (aged 32) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | New wave,post-punk |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals |
| Years active | 1973–1985 |
| Formerly of | The B-52's |
| Website | theb52s |
Ricky Helton Wilson (March 19, 1953 – October 12, 1985)[1] was an American musician best known as the original guitarist and founding member of rock bandthe B-52s. Born inAthens, Georgia, Wilson was the brother of fellow memberCindy Wilson. The B-52s were founded in 1976, when Ricky, Cindy,Kate Pierson,Keith Strickland andFred Schneider shared a tropicalflaming volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant and, after an impromptumusic session at the home of their friend Owen Scott III, played for the first time at aValentine's Day party for friends.[2] Wilson's unusual guitar tunings were a large contribution to the band's quirky sound.[3]
On October 12, 1985, at the age of 32, Wilson died from complications related toAIDS following the recording of the band's fourth studio albumBouncing Off the Satellites. According to Strickland, the album had been completed and mixed before Wilson's death, with only the cover art not yet designed (an illustration byKenny Scharf was ultimately decided upon). Devastated, the band went into seclusion and did not tour to promote the album, though they did several photo shoots and TV appearances and filmed a video for "Girl from Ipanema Goes to Greenland".
In addition to his work with the B-52s, Wilson played the guitar on the song "Breakin' in My Heart" onTom Verlaine'sself-titled debut album in 1979. This was his only non-B-52s appearance on record. He also appeared in various films, notablyOne Trick Pony. Posthumously, he also appeared inAthens, GA: Inside/Out,The B-52s 1979–1989, andTime Capsule: Videos for a Future Generation through archival footage.
Rolling Stone named Wilson the 247th greatest guitarist of all time in 2023.[4]
Wilson was born on March 19, 1953, to Bobby Jack Wilson, a firefighter and a veteran of the United States Army, and Linda J. Wilson (née Mairholtz),[5] inAthens, Georgia. He was the elder brother ofCindy Wilson.[6] At an early age, Wilson developed an interest in music and learned how to playfolk guitar from thePBS seriesLearning Folk Guitar.[7] Upon enteringClarke Central High School, Wilson had upgraded to aSilvertone guitar and, to tape his music, purchased atwo-track tape recorder with money earned from a summer job at the local landfill.[7]
In mid-1969, Wilson met formerComer residentKeith Strickland at the localhead shop The Looking Glass.[8] The two shared common interests in music andEastern mysticist culture and quickly became friends.[7]
During mid-1969, both Wilson and Strickland collaborated in writing and performing music, loosely calling themselves Loon, and aspired to perform live.[9][10]
From 1969 to 1971, Wilson and Strickland collaborated with high school friends Pete Love ofLouisville and Athens native Owen Scott III in performing together as the four-member band Black Narcissus.[11]
Upon graduation from theUniversity 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 the manager.[11]
In late 1976, Strickland and Wilson returned to Athens in search of further employment.[11] The two joined the B-52s when they, Wilson's sister Cindy,Kate Pierson, andFred Schneider of localprotest band the Sun-Donuts,[11] formed the group in an impromptu musical practice session after sharing a tropicalflaming volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant.[3][12] They played their first concert in 1977 at aValentine's Day party for friends.[11][3][12] The band's quirky take on thenew wave sound of their era was a combination of dance andsurf music set apart by the unusual guitar tunings used by Wilson.
Wilson cited variouschildren's records,the Mamas & the Papas, andEsquerita and the Voola as sources of inspiration in his musical career.[13] Wilson also played the guitar on the song "Breakin' In My Heart" onTom Verlaine'sself-titled debut album.
In 1983, during recording sessions for the band's third studio albumWhammy!,[11] Wilson discovered he had contractedHIV. He confided his illness to Keith Strickland.[14][15] In 1985, during recording for their albumBouncing 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.[15][16] In an interview, Pierson stated that Wilson did so because he "did not want anyone to worry about him or fuss about him".[16]
On October 12, 1985,[11] in theMemorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, Wilson died ofAIDS, at the age of 32.[15] He was buried inOconee Hill Cemetery in Athens, Georgia.[17] Devastated, the band did little promotional work and did not tour to promote the album.[18] Upon reforming in 1988, the band continued as a four-piece, with Strickland replicating Wilson's riffs from their earlier material in live performances.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
