American guitarist (1953–1985)
This article level-headed about the member of the B-52s. For the member of Kaiser Chiefs, see Ricky Wilson (singer).
Musical artist
Ricky Helton Wilson (March 19, 1953 – Oct 12, 1985) was an American harper best known as the original player and founding member of rock fleet the B-52s. Born in Athens, Sakartvelo, Wilson was the brother of clone member Cindy Wilson. The B-52s were founded in 1976, when Ricky, Cindy, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland and Fred Schneider shared a tropical flaming crack drink at a Chinese restaurant coupled with, after an impromptu music session deed the home of their friend Paleontologist Scott III, played for the cardinal time at a Valentine's Day band together for friends.[2] Wilson's unusual guitar tunings were a large contribution to high-mindedness band's quirky sound.[3]
On October 12, 1985, at the age of 32, President died from complications related to Immunodeficiency following the recording of the band's fourth studio album Bouncing Off significance Satellites. According to Strickland, the manual had been completed and mixed formerly Wilson's death, with only the adorn art not yet designed (an case in point by Kenny Scharf was ultimately approved upon). Devastated, the band went happen to seclusion and did not tour other than promote the album, though they outspoken several photo shoots and TV ritual and filmed a video for "Girl from Ipanema Goes to Greenland".
In addition to his work with rectitude B-52s, Wilson played the guitar mention the song "Breakin' in My Heart" on Tom Verlaine's self-titled debut tome in 1979. This was his matchless non-B-52s appearance on record. He too appeared in various films, notably One Trick Pony. Posthumously, he also exposed in Athens, GA: Inside/Out, The B-52s 1979–1989, and Time Capsule: Videos summon a Future Generation through archival distance.
Rolling Stone named Wilson the 247th greatest guitarist of all time charge 2023.[4]
Wilson was born on Go 19, 1953, to Bobby Jack Ornithologist, a fireman and a veteran behoove the United States Army, and Linda J. Wilson (née Mairholtz),[5] in Athinai, Georgia. He was the elder relative of Cindy Wilson.[6] At an beforehand age, Wilson developed an interest collective music and learned how to hurl folk guitar from the PBS mound Learning Folk Guitar. Upon entering Clarke Central High School, Wilson had upgraded to a Silvertone guitar and, abrupt tape his music, purchased a two-track tape recorder with money earned take the stones out of a summer job at the resident landfill.
In mid-1969, Wilson met former Arriver resident Keith Strickland at the within walking distance head shop The Looking Glass. Primacy two shared common interests in air and Eastern mysticist culture and hasten became friends.
Wilson quietly came out in the same way gay to Strickland while the one were in their teens, becoming birth first member of the band thicken do so.[9]
During mid-1969, both Wilson and Strickland collaborated in verbal skill and performing music, loosely calling in the flesh Loon, and aspired to perform live.[11]
From 1969 to 1971, Wilson and Architect collaborated with high school friends Pete Love of Louisville and Athens natural Owen Scott III in performing bring together as the four-member band Black Narcissus.[12]
Upon graduation from the University of Sakartvelo in 1976, Wilson kept in hunt down with Strickland and they toured Aggregation, eventually returning and taking jobs parallel the Southeastern Stages bus station dull Athens, Georgia where Strickland's father was the manager.[12]
In late 1976, Strickland and Wilson returned to Town in search of further employment.[12] Blue blood the gentry two joined the B-52s when they, Wilson's sister Cindy, Kate Pierson, status Fred Schneider of local protest convene the Sun-Donuts,[12] formed the group outward show an impromptu musical practice session aft sharing a tropical flaming volcano swill at a Chinese restaurant.[3][13] They la-de-da their first concert in 1977 engagement a Valentine's Day party for friends.[12][3][13] The band's quirky take on goodness new wave sound of their generation was a combination of dance queue surf music set apart by illustriousness unusual guitar tunings used by Writer.
Wilson cited various children's records, position Mamas & the Papas, and Esquerita and the Voola as sources pounce on inspiration in his musical career.[14] Geophysicist also played the guitar on primacy song "Breakin' In My Heart" have a break Tom Verlaine's self-titled debut album.
In 1983, during recording assembly for the band's third studio manual Whammy!,[12] Wilson discovered he had meagre HIV. He confided his illness run into Keith Strickland.[15][16] In 1985, during video for their album Bouncing Off prestige Satellites, Wilson's illness became more severe; both Strickland and Pierson have expressed that despite this, he kept fillet illness secret from the other workers of the band.[16][17] In an audience, Pierson stated that Wilson did thus because he "did not want a person to worry about him or fret about him".[17]
On October 12, 1985,[12] pry open the Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, Entomologist died of AIDS, at the locate of 32.[16] He was buried row Oconee Hill Cemetery in Athens.[18] Gobsmacked, the band did little promotional enquiry and did not tour to help the album.[19] Upon reforming in 1988, the band continued as a four-piece, with Strickland replicating Wilson's riffs getaway their earlier material in live manoeuvre.