Al Wilson: Biography

• Overview
• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

• Videos
• Photos
• Groups/Boards
• Fan Sites

• Bobby Womack
• The Main Ingredient
• James Brown/The JB's
• Percy Sledge
• Joe Simon
• Eddie Kendricks
• Jimmy Helms

• Pat Brown

• The Rollers
• Johnny Harris

• Allan Felder
• Jerry Fuller
• T.G. Conway

Born:

Jun 19, 1939 in Meridian, MS

Died:

Apr 21, 2008 in Fontana, CA

Genres:

Classical Music, R&B and Soul Music, Contemporary R&B Music, Rock Music

Decades Active:

1960's|1970's|2000's

Artistic Quality

Low

Cultural Impact

Low

Popularity

Low

Ratings Guide

Best remembered for the soul classic "Show and Tell," singer Al Wilson was born June 19, 1939 in Meridian, Mississippi. From childhood forward he was singing professionally, and by the age of 12 was leading his own spiritual quartet and singing in the church choir, even performing covers of country and western hits as circumstances dictated. While he was in high school, Wilson and his family relocated to San Bernadino, California, where he worked odd jobs as a mail carrier, a janitor, and an office clerk, in addition to teaching himself to play drums; after graduation he spent four years touring with Johnny Harris and the Statesmen before joining the U.S. Navy and singing with an enlisted men's chorus. After a twoyear military stint, Wilson settled in Los Angeles, touring the local nightclub circuit before joining the RB vocal group the Jewels; from there he landed with the Rollers, followed by a stint with the instrumental combo the Souls. In 1966, Wilson signed with manager Marc Gordon, who quickly scored his client an a cappella audition for Johnny Rivers the "Secret Agent Man" singer not only signed Wilson to his Soul City imprint, but also agreed to produce the sessions that yielded the 1968 RB smash "The Snake." The minor hit "Do What You Gotta Do" appeared that same year, but Wilson then largely disappeared from sight until 1973, when he issued the platinumselling Weighing In the album's success was spurred by the shimmering "Show and Tell," a Johnny Mathis castoff that sold well over a million copies. 1974's "The La La Peace Song" proved another major hit, and two years later, "I've Got a Feeling We'll Be Seeing Each Other Again" cracked the RB Top Three. With 1979's "Count the Days" Wilson scored his final chart hit, however, and he spent the next two decades touring clubs and lounges; in 2001 he rerecorded his classic hits for the album Spice of Life. Kidney failure took his life on April 21, 2008.

- Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide