Jackie wilson children

Encyclopedia Of Detroit

Known as “Mr. Excitement,” Jackie Wilson was an R&B and soul singer who was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 9, 1934. With his debonair good looks, four-octave vocal range and sensual dance moves he was an early success in making the transition from R&B to pop. Both Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson were influenced by him.

Wilson grew up in Detroit’s North End, and Highland Park. In his teens he formed the Every Ready Gospel Singers Group, performing in local churches. Truancy issues led him to drop out of school in the ninth grade, and a knack for finding trouble sent him twice to the Lansing Correctional Institute, where he learned how to box, and subsequently was a Golden Gloves boxer.

Forced by his mother to end his boxing career Wilson returned to music, singing with the Thrillers, who became the Royals, then Billy Ward and the Dominoes before going solo. In 1957 he signed with Decca subsidiary Brunswick Records. Boxing companion Berry Gordy, Jr. and cousin Roquel “Billy” Davis co-wrote some of Wilson’s hits, such as “Reet Petite,” “To Be L

Background note: If you want to see photos of Harlean Harris, check here,here and here. There are a number of photos of other young Black models that are at times labeled as Harlean. The stepladder photos and the Jet cover are really her, as she looked a few years after Jackie first met her, when he was eighteen and she was probably sixteen. Harlean’s age is a mystery in itself: note that the stepladder photos are from the same photo session, but Harlean is a different age in the two photos. Jackie had just joined The Dominoes when they met, and Harlean, whom Jackie called “Harris,” was one of the co-presidents of the Billy Ward and His Dominoes Fan Club . . . along with Juanita Jones, who years later shot Jackie twice in the abdomen as he tried to wrest a gun from her hands.

Juanita was not aiming for Jackie. Her intended target was Harlean.

The shooting took place in 1961, outside Jackie’s New York City apartment, where he was bringing Harlean home in the wee hours after what turned out to be the “Valentine’s Day Date From Hell.”

Jackie Wilson

American singer (1934–1984)

For the British author, see Jacqueline Wilson. For the American boxer, see Jackie Wilson (boxer).

For other people named Jack Wilson, see Jack Wilson (disambiguation).

Musical artist

Jack Leroy Wilson Jr. (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984), also known as Jackie Wilson, was an American singer who was a prominent figure in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement", he was considered a master showman and one of the most dynamic singers and performers in soul, R&B, and rock and roll history.[1][2]

Born in the Detroit enclave of Highland Park, Michigan, Wilson gained initial fame as a member of the R&B vocal group Billy Ward and His Dominoes. He went solo in 1957 and scored over 50 chart singles spanning the genres of R&B, rock 'n' roll, soul, doo-wop, and easy listening. This included 16 Top 10 R&B hits, six of which ranked as number ones. On the Billboard Hot 100, Wilson scored 14 top 20 pop hits, six of which reached the top 10. In 1975, Wilson suffered a heart a

Copyright ©popfray.pages.dev 2025